


feather in the quiver

by wingedhead



Series: the nowhere man 'verse [1]
Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst with a Happy Ending, Banter, Drunk Texting, During Canon, Epistolary, Eventual Canon Divergence, Falling In Love, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Inappropriate Humor, Loneliness, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Slow Burn, Texting, Wrong number, johnny's weird brand of 80s masochism, kreese does not exist in this dojo heterosexuality does not exist in this dojo, somewhat canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:53:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 35,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28075008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingedhead/pseuds/wingedhead
Summary: Daniel LaRusso: sales guy, dad guy - divorced guy. As if that isn't enough to keep him busy, stupid Johnny Lawrence wakes up one day and decides to reclaim his title as the Biggest Nuisance in the Universe by bringing back Cobra Kai, so now Daniel's gotta reorient his entire life aroundthat, obviously.But it's not all bad. There might just be one other person in the entire Valley who gets Daniel; reallyreallygets him, never mind the fact that their relationship is limited exclusively to texting. And also that Daniel has absolutely no idea who he is. It's fine. Really. What could go wrong?
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso & Johnny Lawrence, Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Series: the nowhere man 'verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185302
Comments: 579
Kudos: 533





	1. Prologue: Crossed Wires

**Author's Note:**

> this whole project is basically summed up as season 1 of cobra kai but there's texting shenanigans on the side. [BackinBlack_80](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BackinBlack_80/pseuds/BackinBlack_80) described it as a You've Got Mail AU, which hits the nail on the head Perfectly
> 
> this is just something ive been meaning to write ever since i puzzled out how to set up an iOS work skin on ao3 (theres a fantastic guide by CodenameCarrot and La_Temperanza [right here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6434845/chapters/14729722)) and its also an excuse for me to rewatch cobra kai before s3 so two birds and whatnot
> 
> uploads are probably gonna be fast because i enjoy talking to myself. im guessing there'll be about 12 chapters including prologue and epilogue since we're following the line of the actual show, but we'll see what happens! thats the fun of it
> 
> also just as an fyi if it's not your default setting, please click on "show creator's style" otherwise the formatting won't make any sense
> 
> comments n feedback are appreciated!! ive never written something like this before so any input would be great. excited to have u here with me while we figure this out (yes u!), and as always im on twitter @superblums if u wanna come say hi
> 
> enjoy!

818-403-5548  
  
**Today** 12:15 AM  
Hey! I had a great time tonight, it was really nice meeting you. Maybe we can catch up for brunch over the weekend?  
  
tf is this  
  
Sorry?  
  
who the fuvk is this  
  
... You’re not Sarah?  
  
wgo the fuck is sarah  
  
Well.  
  
Guess that’s going down in the books as the worst date in human history  
  
a babe gave u the wwrong number huh  
  
Apparently, yeah  
  
wow that sux dude lol  
  
Glad at least one of us is enjoying it  
  
was the date really tgat bad  
  
I didn’t think so?  
  
I mean it was the first date I’ve been on since I got divorced  
  
So by my standards it was… nice  
  
hate to break it to u champ but jus tnice is never a good thing  
  
divorced or no  
  
Guess you’re right  
  
Anyway. Sorry if I bothered you  
  
u interrupted a big night of drinkign an dwatching iron eagl e but that s it  
  
Sounds fun  
  
ya it makes me feel like a winner  
  
Maybe I should just call it a night, get drunk  
  
r u asking or  
  
Nah, thinking out loud  
  
for the recor d u should do it  
  
get drunk i mean  
  
I have work in the morning  
  
so  
  
So it'll look bad if I show up hungover  
  
u jsut need to stop givinga fuck  
  
unclench a littl e idk  
  
Gross, thanks  
  
no problme :)  
  
What are you watching Iron Eagle on  
  
the tv??? idiot  
  
I meant like on cable or Netflix  
  
wahts a neftlix  
  
The streaming service?  
  
thx that didnot help  
  
its on tv idk what 2 tell yuo  
  
**Today** 12:19 AM  
r u still thwre  
  
?  
  
Found it. HBO.  
  
k cool  
  
**Today** 1:43 AM  
This part always makes me kind of sad  
  
shh no talkignjust watching  
  
Right sorry  
  
**Today** 2:27 AM  
Thank you  
  
For whatever this was  
  
yw  
  
also hey  
  
Hey?  
  
dont beat ursefl upabo ut sarah ok  
  
ur not a shitty date  
  
especialyl if u like iron esgle  
  
Oh  
  
Thanks  
  
yw  
  
gn  
  
Night.  
  



	2. Episode 1, Part I - Ace Degenerate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the love on the premise! im excited to get this going <3
> 
> i want to keep the chapters short and fast, so this fic might turn out significantly longer than the initial twelve chapters listed. part two going up later today, so keep an eye out for it!

818-403-5548  
  
**Yesterday** 10:09 PM  
Tell me why I just got a call from the police telling me you got arrested?  
  
**Today** 9:32 AM  
ah shit  
  
Should I be concerned?  
  
no its fine  
  
idk why they called u tho  
  
Most recent outgoing text message, I guess. They said you didn’t have ID on you when they brought you in but your phone was unlocked. Are you okay?  
  
what are u my mother  
  
yes im fucking fine i got bailed out im going home  
  
Okay  
  
Can I ask what you did?  
  
yeah  
  
What’d you do?  
  
said u could ask never said id tell u  
  
Look the police called my home at 10pm I deserve to know  
  
they fucked up just let it go jeez  
  
u want an apology card and flowers or something  
  
Wouldn’t hurt but that’s not the point  
  
whats the point then  
  
Fine don’t tell me  
  
**Today** 12:02 PM  
got in a fight  
  
before u fucking ask again yes im fine  
  
Get some ice for your head maybe  
  
dont need ice i need a goddamn drink  
  
wait how do u know about my head  
  
Police said you were out cold when they brought you in. Doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist  
  
ok whatever  
  
**Today** 7:41 PM  
fuvk man  
  
iknow chappy doesnt die but  
  
his fukcing tape still get sme  
  
You’re watching it again?  
  
ya i haev it on vcs  
  
vcr  
  
Are you drunk?  
  
dont ask stupid questiond  
  
**Today** 7:48 PM  
s just unfair youkno w??  
  
wasnt suoppsed to turn out liek thisd  
  
Like what?  
  
bad  
  
im not a ducking loser  
  
im not  
  
fuck yuo  
  
I never said you were a loser  
  
fuck u sid eat fukxigfn shit  
  
Sid?  
  
**Today** 8:13 PM  
Are you okay man you’re kind of freaking me out  
  
I’m driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going. (I’m not receiving notifications. If this is urgent, reply “urgent” to send a notification through with your original message.)  
  
Urgent  
  
the fuck do uwant  
  
I really don’t think you should be driving right now  
  
ill do wwhatevr i fuckign want  
  
Dude come on  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** Oh you’re blocking me now?  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** Real mature  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** **Today** 11:27 PM  
I better not get another call from the fucking cops again  
**⚠ Not Delivered**  
**Today** 1:04 AM  
Hope you made it home safe  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered**


	3. Episode 1, Part II - Ace Degenerate

818-403-5548  
  
**Today** 5:22 AM  
made it home  
  
soryy for blocking u  
  
**Today** 6:01 AM  
It’s okay  
  
**Today** 6:08 AM  
why the hell are u awake  
  
Could ask you the same thing  
  
i asked first  
  
I like getting a head start on my day  
  
gross  
  
Your turn  
  
couldnt sleep  
  
How come?  
  
just been having a shitty time man i dont want to talk about it  
  
Okay  
  
**Today** 9:53 AM  
also could u ignore everything i said yesterday  
  
**Today** 10:15 AM  
Yeah I can do that  
  
cool  
  
i guess i get kind of bitchy when i drink  
  
Thought we were ignoring it.  
  
alright dont get ur panties in a bunch  
  
im just trying to apologize or whatever  
  
If this is an apology it might be the worst I’ve gotten in my entire life  
  
consider it my gift to u  
  
**Today** 11:05 AM  
How are you feeling?  
  
do u need me to explain to u the concept of ignoring stuff  
  
I meant your head, asshole  
  
oh  
  
its fine  
  
kind of sore i guess  
  
You should take it easy  
  
its whatever ill be fine i have to go pick up my car  
  
Your car?  
  
some kids totaled it last night  
  
ok i see u typing dont give urself a stroke i wasnt in the car when they hit it and they drove off right after so im assuming those little assholes are ok too  
  
Oh.  
  
Okay  
  
my cabs here i gotta go  
  
Okay. BCNU  
  
what the fuck is that  
  
Be Seeing You. It’s an acronym. For texting.  
  
oh  
  
thats stupid why is there an n in the middle  
  
I don’t know I didn’t come up with it  
  
so stupid  
  
bcnu  
  
**Today** 5:05 PM  
How did it go?  
  
fine  
  
had a little bit of a weird time but its fine  
  
Good! Fine is good.  
  
are u just getting off work  
  
Yeah I'm on my way home  
  
u arent supposed to text and drive idiot  
  
I'm not. I'm using voice-to-text.  
  
I dictate stuff and Siri writes the texts.  
  
is siri ur little girlfriend  
  
What the no no what the fuck?  
  
Do I really have to explain Siri to you?  
  
fine dont who gives a crap anyway  
  
ill just ask my student later  
  
Student?  
  
You teach?  
  
yeah sorta im thinking about getting back into it  
  
That's cool. What do you teach?  
  
no way am i telling u  
  
next ur gonna what ask for my bank account?? my home address??? fuck off  
  
Jesus alright. Don't tell me.  
  
Work was good by the way.  
  
didnt ask  
  
Well, tough. I'm saying it.  
  
why  
  
Who else do I tell?  
  
ok fair  
  
since we're sharing i guess  
  
i think things are looking up  
  
for me. in life. idk i just have a feeling its gonna work out. or that its starting to  
  
Are you drunk again?  
  
no and thats the last time im ever honest with u hope u drive into a steaming pile of shit u dick  
  
**Today** 5:56 PM  
For what it's worth I appreciate the honesty  
  
And I think things are looking up for me too  
  
**Today** 7:08 PM  
cool  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> u ask me "hey how do they not recognize each other after this massive coincidence? daniels been texting some guy who got his car wrecked and suddenly his old enemy johnny lawrence shows up at his dealership, car wrecked??
> 
> to that i say, consider this: theyre idiots


	4. Episode 2, Part I - Strike First

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks so much for all the comments and kudos on this fic, im thrilled by the response! i've written chapters out all the way to ep five (each episode is split into about two parts in this fic just for easier reading) so the daily upload schedule is still going.
> 
> enjoy!

818-403-5548  
  
**Yesterday** 8:03 PM  
So what do I call you?  
  
u dont  
  
I’m not actually going to call you, I don’t even know what we’d talk about.  
  
Can’t save your number in my phone as Stranger or whatever  
  
why do u even want to save my number  
  
Isn’t that what friends do?  
  
u have been bugging me for like a week thats not a friendship  
  
Then what is it  
  
a series of accidents  
  
Try again  
  
u know u really need to get out more  
  
Can’t a guy text another guy without it being weird  
  
oh IM making it weird??  
  
”let me save ur number lets braid each others hair and talk about our feelings like a bunch of girls but its not weird because we’re FRIENDS”  
  
...  
  
ok see i made it weird THAT time but everything else is on u  
  
asshole  
  
I’m just going to put you down in my contacts as Asshole  
  
ha ha ha hilarious take a hike  
  
**Today** 12:05 AM  
Okay full disclosure maybe I don’t really have anyone to talk to either.  
  
And I don’t know what if you recognize me or something and then you decide you don’t want to talk anymore.  
  
12:11 AM  
Why are you typing like that  
  
Like what?  
  
Are you using voice-to-text?  
  
Oh. Yeah.  
  
I figured I’d give it a shot. I don’t really want to type when I’m drunk. Keyboard is way too small, it’s annoying.  
  
Is this drunk you talking then?  
  
Pretty much.  
  
Okay.  
  
Just as a blanket rule, no specifics about our lives?  
  
Blanket rule for what  
  
Whatever this is  
  
You’re making it weird again  
  
Jesus  
  
This non-friendship series of accidents then  
  
Yeah okay I guess that makes sense  
  
12:23 AM  
How was work  
  
Oh you’re asking now?  
  
Listen dumbass if you don’t want to tell me I couldn’t care less  
  
It was fine.  
  
Saw something on my way home that kind of freaked me out, though, but other than that it was fine.  
  
Was someone not driving the speed limit  
  
Did someone not use their signal to switch lanes  
  
Or no wait  
  
Somebody was jaywalking  
  
ALRIGHT WE GET IT  
  
Lol  
  
So what happened  
  
No details but  
  
You know how you think you leave some things behind for good  
  
But apparently you didn’t and now they’ve come back to bite you in the ass  
  
Yeah I know a thing or two about that  
  
Really?  
  
For sure. It’s how I feel about my landlord all the time.  
  
I hate that that made me laugh  
  
You’re welcome.  
  
Sorry you got bit in the ass  
  
It’s whatever. I’m hoping it’ll just blow over and I won’t have to deal with it  
  
I’ll drink to that  
  
**Today** 3:47 PM  
do u know the kindo f shit u have to do just to get some fuckin insurance  
  
And he's back  
  
shut up  
  
this is such a fucking pain in the ass  
  
It's not that complicated. Is the insurance for you?  
  
what no i dont need insurance  
  
im talking about this place im starting my classes in  
  
stupid fucking landlord didnt even tell me when i made the down payment  
  
What do you mean “I don’t need insurance”? Everyone needs insurance  
  
can we focus on the problem  
  
???You not having insurance IS a problem  
  
”up to code” the hell does that even mean who wrote this idiotic code  
  
bet i could kick his ass  
  
Jesus. Whatever, fine. What are you gonna do?  
  
guy gave me a list of requirements and a week to finish them so thats what im doing i guess  
  
should be a fun weekend  
  
Better than what I’ve got lined up  
  
yeah?  
  
Yeah. Some party thing at the country club that my kids are going to make hell for me.  
  
One of them’s decided she’s not going, and the other’s probably going to play video games the whole time.  
  
hey woah what the hell happened to no specifics  
  
I didn’t give specifics  
  
yeah u did now i know all this shit abt u like u have kids and u go to the country club  
  
There’s plenty of people here who have that exact life, I could still be anybody  
  
ok whatever but ur on thin ice  
  
Duly noted  
  
4:05 PM  
what kind of music do u listen to  
  
I like the old stuff. REO Speedwagon, Kenny Loggins, Pat Benatar, Guns N’ Roses, Kansas  
  
Journey’s good too  
  
oh my god THANK YOU  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> before we get much further though i wanted to ask: do you guys mind the two part thing or would you prefer one big chapter? let me know what you think


	5. Episode 2, Part II - Strike First

Asshole  
  
At least you can start teaching soon so that’s good news  
  
yeah i guess ur right  
  
You got anybody signing up yet?  
  
no just the one kid so far hes annoying but he could be worse  
  
6:03 PM  
hey man u good over there  
  
Yeah sorry I was just at the market I forgot to reply  
  
”the market” god ur so pretentious  
  
How is that pretentious  
  
just say store like a normal person  
  
It’s called a market! A store is a completely different thing  
  
ugh he goes to the country club and the market  
  
Who are you talking to this isn’t a group chat  
  
bet u have a gold toilet seat too  
  
We’re done discussing this  
  
so im right u do have a gold toilet seat  
  
No you're way off and I don’t know why you’re fixating on it  
  
mhm go ahead just keep mocking me mr one percent  
  
You’re insufferable. I don’t have time for this.  
  
jeez who pissed in ur cheerios  
  
Nobody??? I’m just busy tonight  
  
finally landed a hot date huh  
  
never wouldve guessed u had it in u good job  
  
be smart wrap it up  
  
Oh my god I’m begging you to shut up  
  
And for your information I do not have a hot date  
  
boo u whore  
  
My daughter’s boyfriend is coming for dinner and I bought a bunch of fish that I need to hold on did you just call me a whore  
  
why are u giving the kid fish thats the worst kind of meat  
  
What the no it’s not you maniac it’s good and I make a pretty mean ponzu toro so I figured why not  
  
is this u trying to impress the boyfriend  
  
So what if it is? If my daughter likes him I don’t want to half-ass it, you know? I don’t want to make him feel weird or anything.  
  
and u think making ponzo toro is the way to do that  
  
*Ponzu toro, and yeah. I do.  
  
ok but its ur funeral  
  
Why’s that?  
  
i just told u, fish is the worst meat  
  
Whatever caveman I’ll talk to you later  
  
6:48 PM  
God the kid's going to fucking hate me isn't he  
  
listen dont overthink it pussy ur going to be fine im sure the kid has batshit tastebuds just like u and u two can bond or whatever over it  
  
...Thanks  
  
I guess  
  
no problem  
  
bcnu  
  
Leaning into it huh  
  
idk its grown on me  
  
Cool  
  
BCNU  
  
9:03 PM  
so howd it go  
  
9:36 PM  
?  
  
I’m driving with Do Not Disturb While Driving turned on. I’ll see your message when I get where I’m going. (I’m not receiving notifications. If this is urgent, reply “urgent” to send a notification through with your original message.)  
  



	6. Episode 3, Part I - Esqueleto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the lack of updates yesterday, i had a final to submit and posting just kind of slipped my mind. we should be back on track tho!!
> 
> as always im blown away by the response to this fic!!! thank you for your wonderful comments and kudos <3
> 
> general consensus on the last chapter seems to be that the two parts per episode setup works, so we'll be sticking with that
> 
> enjoy!

Asshole  
  
**Yesterday** 10:17 PM  
ur do not disturb thing is turned off i know because ive been trying to reach u for like an hr so stop ignoring me u pussy  
  
whatd i even do to u huh  
**Yesterday** 10:48 PM  
ok fine ignore this if ur not dead  
**Yesterday** 11:03 PM  
going to assume that ur not dead then  
  
**Yesterday** 11:17 PM  
textme bacl  
  
bac k  
  
**Today** 1:10 AM  
Hey  
  
wtf  
  
tgats all u hvae to say???  
  
What?  
  
u freaked me out man wtf  
  
I didn't ask you to do that  
  
wow  
  
You’re like this with everyone?  
  
Sorry.  
  
Mm-hm.  
  
So what happened?  
  
Nothing. Rough night.  
  
I was right about the fish huh  
  
Well  
  
Yeah you were but  
  
You know what never mind  
  
I don’t wanna talk about it  
  
Okay  
  
You’re not going to rub the fish thing in my face?  
  
No I’m feeling generous I’ll save it for later  
  
See that sounds like it’s supposed to be a good thing but I’m kind of getting the feeling that it’s not  
  
Yeah :) Enjoy it while you can  
  
You’re awful  
  
You’re welcome  
  
Wait were you worried about me?  
  
No  
  
You were weren’t you  
  
Was not  
  
Sure  
  
You know what I liked it better when you weren’t replying to me can we go back to that  
  
Nope  
  
**Today** 4:12 AM  
Look about earlier, I really am sorry  
  
dknt worry abt it we arent friends or anything  
  
Okay.  
  
**Today** 9:33 AM  
How’s teaching going?  
  
waht are u texting me this early in the goddamn mornign for  
  
It’s nine thirty  
  
and  
  
I don’t know. It’s a slow day. I’m bored and I wanted to know  
  
the day has barely begun but ok  
  
You're not answering the question  
  
ugh hold on m gettign coffe e  
  
**Today** 9:52 AM  
ok  
  
it’s going good  
  
That’s it? You needed coffee for three words?  
  
4 if u count the first text  
  
It was two letters long I’m not counting it  
  
ur two letters long  
  
What does that even mean  
  
means fuck u  
  
oh actually i had a question  
  
what do u know abt advertising  
  
What kind of advertising?  
  
is there more than one kind  
  
Obviously?  
  
man i dont care abt all that nerd crap just give me some ideas i need more students  
  
Okay. I’ll send you a list.  
  
wait a list  
  
as in multiple things to do  
  
Yeah that's usually what a list is  
  
how many things  
  
Enough  
  
do i have to do them all  
  
:)  
  
what does that mean  
  
  
Means fuck you  
  
ha ha ha HA HA amazingly funny thank u for nothing asswipe  
  
Anytime :)  
  



	7. Episode 3, Part II - Esqueleto

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the love u guys!! heres part 2, enjoy <3

Asshole  
  
10:03 AM  
ur advertising ideas are all literal shit  
  
You’re probably just doing them wrong  
  
u said to make flyers i made flyers  
  
put them up everywhere  
  
even handed them out to people  
  
And?  
  
not one single idiot wanted to sign up  
  
I doubt calling them idiots is helping  
  
i didnt do it to thwir faces u twerp  
  
Did you put them up near places where your target audience is  
  
yeah duh obviously  
  
Really  
  
Say, what’s a target audience?  
  
A target audience is a group of people identified as likely customers of a business. People in a target audience share demographic similarities, such as age, location, or socioeconomic status. Defining a target audience helps create more efficient marketing messages.  
  
You clearly just got that off the internet  
  
no i didnt  
  
Alright, look. Do you teach kids or adults?  
  
kids  
  
College or high school? Or younger?  
  
high school i guess  
  
Okay. That’s your target audience.  
  
how this is supposed to be helpful  
  
I'm leading up to it  
  
lead faster  
  
Try putting up flyers near where high school kids hang out. Get word out to them. The mall, maybe, or the library? I know some schools have bulletin boards you could use.  
  
huh  
  
thats not terrible i guess its worth a shot  
  
idk why u didnt tell me before i went around town putting these up on every flat surface i could find  
  
I thought you’d figure it out on your own  
  
its not like everyone just knows shit  
  
u know dumb stuff like advertising and fish  
  
i know cool stuff like cars and how to get hot babes  
  
Yeah? Is that why you’re single?  
  
touchy  
  
It's spelled touché  
  
fuck off. thx for the target audience thing  
  
No problem  
  
7:03 PM  
Could I ask you for some advice  
  
ya  
  
If I do will you actually give it to me  
  
depends  
  
On?  
  
on what the question is  
  
Fair enough  
  
I feel like I can’t stop messing up with my daughter  
  
First it was some party she had at our house without my permission  
  
Then that whole thing with her boyfriend  
  
And for a second it was fine, but then I definitely fucked things up again, big time.  
  
how bad  
  
Her exact words were “Don’t talk to me”, and then she stormed off.  
  
that doesnt sound awful  
  
just give her a min to cool down  
  
Yeah but it was the way she said it. She's never been this mad at me before.  
  
ok so which part did u want advice on  
  
I don't know. How to stop being a screw-up, I guess?  
  
oh  
  
im not ur guy for that  
  
pretty sure im the king of screw ups or something  
  
Yeah?  
  
yeah  
  
So what do you do when you screw up?  
  
idk  
  
i drink a 12 pack and pass out on my floor for a few days  
  
then i fix what i can  
  
get over what i cant  
  
Some of that is a little worrying  
  
But the rest of it doesn’t sound so bad  
  
look just stop overthinking stuff ur gonna be ok. talk to ur kid maybe  
  
Yeah. Thank you, Your Highness  
  
what  
  
oh  
  
this is bc i said i was the king of screw ups huh  
  
Yep :)  
  
u know u think ur gods gift to mankind with all ur shitty jokes but u really arent  
  
Come on they’re pretty funny  
  
mm no theyre not  
  
Yes they are  
  
no they make me feel like im being hit by four buses at once  
  
Dramatic much  
  
insecure much  
  
Touché  
  
yeah thats right just keep rubbing it in my face mr moneybags u disgust me  
  
STOP  
  
11:02 PM  
Got any room over there for one more in your fuck-up corner  
  
For the king? Always  
  
What did you do?  
  
I let someone down.  
  
My student.  
  
Oh  
  
Bad?  
  
Yeah. I think he might not ever be coming back. Which means I've lost the only business I had, and he trusted me to look out for him, but I didn't. And that's way worse than your thing, so. I hope you feel bad for making fun of me for that king thing just now.  
  
It's not a competition.  
  
And I do feel bad. I'm sorry.  
  
It's fine. I'll finish off the beer in my fridge and get over it.  
  
You sure you wanna do that?  
  
100%. I'm used to this.  
  
Well, I'm not just going to leave you to it.  
  
Why the hell not  
  
Because we're not friends, remember?  
  
So what are you going to do, keep pissing me off?  
  
Yeah  
  
I could tell you about this book I’m reading.  
  
What’s it called  
  
The Outsiders  
  
Sounds lame  
  
I think my son has to do a book report or something about it? He left it behind at my place, so I thought I might give it a shot. It’s pretty good so far.  
  
Whatever  
  
Start talking  
  
  



	8. Episode 4, Part I - Cobra Kai Never Dies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEARLY missed posting day (again, rip) but we made it! enjoy <3

Asshole  
  
8:12 AM  
Sorry for falling asleep on you yesterday  
  
its fine i kept myself busy  
  
Yeah? What’d you do?  
  
nothin. painted a little  
  
You know how to paint?  
  
no not really this was kind of a one-time thing  
  
Oh okay  
  
Did you have a good time  
  
the BEST  
  
8:34 AM  
so  
  
kid still hate u?  
  
Weird way to segue into another topic but. Yep. Yours?  
  
his mom forbid me from seeing him again so thats fun  
  
*Forbade  
  
what  
  
It’s forbade. His mom forbade you from seeing him again.  
  
if i met u in real life and u did that to me in the middle of a conversation id literally kill u with my bare hands  
  
Good thing we dont meet up in real life then  
  
There’ll be other students though, right? You did all that advertising, more people are bound to turn up eventually.  
  
yeah i dont think so  
  
?  
  
i mean i started teaching again because of that one kid, and now hes gone, so it doesnt really feel worth the effort anymore  
  
i think im just gonna call it quits. maybe beg for my old job back or something.  
  
There’s really nothing you can do?  
  
idk  
  
not 2 be whiny or anything  
  
but he kind of reminded me of myself when i was that age, like i was way cooler obviously but hes a much better kid than i was  
  
felt nice being around that  
  
made me wanna try to be better, u know? i wanted to teach something that mattered  
  
anyway i  
  
i promised id look out for him. then i didnt. he got hurt.  
  
and in some weird way its like i managed to let myself down too  
  
sorry ignore me idk where that came from  
  
You can tell me stuff if it makes you feel better.  
  
it just. all kinda sucks rn. not sure how its supposed to go up from here   
  
Have a little faith  
  
in what  
  
Yourself  
  
Hold on my ex-wife’s calling me, I need to take this  
  
oh ok  
  
bcnu?  
  
BCNU  
  
10:58 AM  
is it just me or does it feel like the day is getting shittier the longer im awake  
  
God do I fucking hear that  
  
I see you typing there so before you start again no my day isn’t shitty over a slight traffic violation  
  
damn ok  
  
u wanna talk abt it  
  
No details  
  
ok  
  
What happened with you  
  
turns out my kid’s been playing hooky for the past goddanm month  
  
and nobody knows where the hell he is  
  
so now i gotta bust my ass to find him  
  
Your kid?  
  
yeah i have a kid sue me  
  
No, what?  
  
I didn’t know you were married, that’s all  
  
im not  
  
Oh  
  
newsflash u dont have to be married to have kids grandma  
  
Yeah I’m aware, thanks  
  
see thing is this is usually his moms area  
  
u know this whole talking to the school adn dealing w him, thats hers  
  
so im not like. 100% abt what to do right now  
  
Well, what’s your area?  
  
mostly like. missing child support payments and getting disrespected every time I see either of them  
  
Sounds like a good rapport you got going there  
  
thanks i spent most of my life not working on it  
  
Can’t you reach his mom?  
  
wow what a genius idea cant believe i didnt fucking think of it  
  
yeah ive tried dumbass shes not picking up  
  
im probably just gonna swing by her place or somethign. he might be hanging around there  
  
not sure what im supposed to say to him though  
  
Look, just find him. Talk to him. If he tells you to fuck off… then put your foot down. You may be a shitty dad, but you’re still his dad, right?  
  
u know u would think that  
  
but he really doesnt give a shit about me  
  
like REALLY really doesnt give a shit  
  
Couldn’t hurt to try  
  
fine whatever  
  
but when i get to say i told u so later  
  
im gonna fucking enjoy it  
  
12:58 PM  
hey  
  
Hey  
  
i  
  
told  
  
u  
  
so  
  
Enjoyed that?  
  
abso fuckin lutely  
  
Sorry it didn't work out man  
  
its fine. guess some things dont change  
  
I guess they don’t.  
  
read any more outsiders lately  
  
Yeah. I’ll catch you up on it when I get home? I’m headed into a meeting right now  
  
k cool  
  
good luck for ur meeting  
  
Thanks  
  
6:08 PM  
fucj fucking fukv i wanna fix things with him man  
  
i have to  
  
i have to  
  
6:14 PM  
With your son?  
  
well yeah  
  
but that ship mightve sailed a long time ago  
  
plus i got no right to ask him for anything  
  
so im just. gonna let him know im there now, n that he can do what he wants about it  
  
Oh  
  
That makes sense  
  
dont act so surprised i have good ideas  
  
Often?  
  
eat shit and die  
  
anyway theres  
  
this one kid who hasnt given up on me  
  
  
and i dont wanna make the same mistake twice  
  
Can you fix it with him?  
  
idk  
  
gotta try  
  
Well, whatever happens, you’re doing the right thing  
  
i hope so  
  
outsiders after?  
  
Thought you said it sounded lame  
  
i never said that. im a cultured guy. i read and stuff  
  
Suure  
  
Good luck  
  
thx  
  



	9. Episode 4, Part II - Cobra Kai Never Dies

Asshole  
  
**Today** 9:04 AM  
Oh my god my daughter’s talking to me again  
  
my student fuckign came back  
  
look at us huh  
  
Big day for everyone  
  
You think it’s going up from here?  
  
idk man fingers fuckin crossed  
  
Yeah. Fingers crossed  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> much shorter chapter than usual but the last one covered most of it plus i liked ending it like this so here we are
> 
> (ep 5 comin up later today tho dw im not gonna cop out)


	10. Episode 4, Part I - Counterbalance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the worst man in reseda accidentally befriends the worst man in encino. more at 9

Asshole  
  
**Yesterday** 8:23 PM  
ok but WHY do they leave the church if they know theyre gonna die they shouldve just stayed on the train and gone somewhere else like out of oklahoma entirely  
  
We talked about this for two hours yesterday can we just agree to disagree  
  
fine but only because u know im right  
  
You’re wrong because you’re missing the point of the book entirely but okay  
  
u know what im taking it back i dont agree to disagree  
  
You’re acting like a five year old  
  
no u  
  
are we almost done w this fucking book how much longer can it possibly be  
  
You know I have a life outside of reading this and texting you running commentary?  
  
oh really i couldnt tell  
  
Shut up  
  
im just saying im p sure the constitution is shorter by at least a mile  
  
Are you really comparing a middle school book report book to the actual Constitution  
  
who are u getting offended on behalf of  
  
ben franklin?? the mans not even here  
  
Ben Franklin didn’t write the Constitution, James Madison did  
  
wait then what were they talking about in that nick cage movie  
  
Declaration of Independence  
  
But it’s not like Ben Franklin wrote it alone, he had four other people there  
  
ok im begging u to stop talking this might be the worst conversation we’ve ever had  
  
save some boring stuff for ur dinner thing  
  
Not what the dinner thing is for but I appreciate that you think I just drop factoids about history into all my meetings  
  
i wouldnt even be surprised if u do its like every day i find out something abt u that makes me want to jam my head into an oven  
  
  
History is neat, I don't know what you're so mad about  
  
im not mad, everything u enjoy just gives me hives  
  
n the only cure is for me to drink a beer then take a long ass nap, ride out the agony etc etc  
  
That explains why you're always drunk or asleep  
  
ya its bc of ur chronic motormouth  
  
If I'm the one with motormouth then why is it that when I text you, you always reply immediately  
  
fuck off  
  
That's what I thought  
  
hope ur stupid dinner goes ok drive safe or whatever idiot  
  
You ever think about saying that without the profanity  
  
no take it and go  
  
Taking it and going  
  
**Today** 9:03 AM  
how was it  
  
Pretty good, actually. I’m feeling good about it.  
  
nice  
  
did u wow them by naming all the presidents or smn  
  
No, but that’s not… difficult or anything. There’s like a song to help you remember it I think  
  
did u get beat up a lot when u were a kid? if so i get why  
  
Shut up. How was your day?  
  
mm not a lot happened between last night and now  
  
oh rocky 2 was on tv  
  
Is that the one with Lang?  
  
no lang’s in 3  
  
2 is w apollo  
  
Oh yeah, right, right.  
  
I liked that they became friends in the end  
  
yeah they were a badass team  
  
That too. Like they were good on their own but they were better together  
  
yeah  
  
better together  
  
**Today** 3:01 AM  
all im saying is that ponyboy and johnny could have avoided this whole mess very easily  
  
GO TO SLEEP  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh also!! i finally made a tumblr!! catch me over there @miyagi-dont where i yell in tags abt cobra kai and post art sometimes


	11. Episode 5, Part II - Counterbalance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is kind of big !!! i wasnt too happy w the original version (just fyi it was much shorter and not nearly as wordy) so i took a day to make some edits, and this is what came out. might be one of my fav chapters so far
> 
> im thrilled by all ur comments and kudos, every single one straight up puts a big old smile on my face <3 hope u enjoy!

Asshole  
  
**Today** 5:11 PM  
i hav emore students  
  
I HAVE MORE STUDETNS  
  
theres enough fo r like TWO classes oh ym fuckign g od  
  
Holy shit, really?  
  
yeah some girl signed up the other day i thought she was gonna be bad but shes great shes GREAT  
  
then more kids showed up!!!!!  
  
they all want lessons and theyre PAYING theyre PAYING ME  
  
this is crazy this might jsut fucking work out h.oly shit  
  
**Today** 5:34 PM  
ok sorry im back i had to take a victory lap  
  
Like… how they do at the olympics?  
  
yeah exactly like they do at the olympics  
  
Okay I'm happy for you, but you're an idiot  
  
im a WINNER  
  
might get a burger or smn to celebrate later  
  
You should, you’ve earned it  
  
FUCK yeah i have  
  
**Today** 6:14 PM  
hey also thx for u know  
  
helping out  
  
in ur own weirdo way i mean  
  
Happy to do it  
  
why cant u say ur welcome like a regular person  
  
Why cant you stop yourself from ruining a nice moment?  
  
its a reflex  
  
got plans today?  
  
Not really, just visited an old friend.  
  
Haven’t really been feeling like myself lately so I figured it might do me some good.  
  
oh  
  
u ok?  
  
I don’t know. My ex-wife told me I’ve been acting a little crazy lately.  
  
She said I should get myself sorted out because she can’t recognize me anymore.  
  
Hearing that kind of scared the hell out of me  
  
isnt change a good thing?  
  
Depends. Does good change turn you into a juvenile dumbass who can't calm down to save his life?  
  
sounds like a regular tuesday for me  
  
Yeah, well. That's not who I am.  
  
I'll admit that I'm kind of a hothead, and I let it get the best of me sometimes. Lately more often than I'd like.  
  
I just... don't think I've ever had this hard of a time trying not to lose my temper since I was a kid and my dad died.  
  
sorry man  
  
It's okay. I just need to work through some stuff, I guess.  
  
little bit of a midlife crisis u got going there?  
  
Maybe not a full-blown crisis; I'm not about to go backpacking in France or quit my job to play guitar on the sidewalk or anything.  
  
so an almost crisis then  
  
Sure. Almost crisis.  
  
Seems kind of fitting for our almost friendship  
  
fuck off. are u using voice to text  
  
Yeah. I'm making dinner, my hands are kind of busy.  
  
k hold on i need to tell u smn  
  
Holding.  
  
Okay I'm back  
  
Where'd you go?  
  
Nowhere, just switched from typing.  
  
How come?  
  
Drinking?  
  
No, no.  
  
...I don't wanna say. Seems kind of dumb now.  
  
Come on, tell me.  
  
Okay, ugh.  
  
I don't know, I guess I figured since you're talking, and I'm talking, that it's kind of like we're just... talking.  
  
No screen.  
  
Oh.  
  
I made it weird didn't I  
  
No, you're fine  
  
It's kind of nice, actually, when you put it like that.  
  
Yeah?  
  
Yeah. What did you wanna tell me?  
  
Oh. Yeah, um. Just that I can kind of understand the temper thing? Mostly because I get mad a lot. Always had it, you know, all ready to go and use to pick a fight with someone.  
  
When I was a kid, I had an outlet. I made friends. I had a girlfriend. It was... sort of fine. Because I had all this other stuff to keep me busy.  
  
Then I had one super shitty year that fucked everything up, and I don't really want to get into it right now, but yeah up until that point it was good.  
  
Now... I feel like all I do is get mad with nowhere to put it.  
  
And you just... get tired, huh  
  
Of carrying that everywhere?  
  
Yeah. Do you?  
  
Yeah.  
  
Mm. But yeah that's my sob story, not that you asked.  
  
From one juvenile dumbass who can't calm down to save his life to another.  
  
Thank you for telling me  
  
You told me yours, so now we're even.  
  
Did seeing your friend make you feel better?  
  
Yeah, it did. It really did.  
  
Glad to hear it  
  
Can we talk later? Family dinner night in ten.  
  
Sure  
  
Oh also  
  
Earlier you said we were almost-friends  
  
Sorry, ignore me. I was messing around.  
  
Don't apologize.  
  
I just wanted to say that if you want to call this that  
  
It's cool with me.  
  
Oh. Wow.  
  
I'm not sure I know how to handle you being genuine  
  
Whatever Nancy don't fucking push it or I'll downgrade you back to Unknown Number  
  
Okay, this I recognize  
  
I told you, it's a reflex. Don't take it personally.  
  
Pussy.  
  
Yeah, yeah, charming as ever  
  
Enjoy your night  
  
You too  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in case u missed it, im @miyagi-dont on tumblr and @superblums on twitter, come say hi!!


	12. Episode 6, Part I - Quiver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for being patient everyone, sorry for the delay! big hugs to everyone commenting and leaving kudos, theyre the kick i need to keep going <3
> 
> enjoy, and happy snowflake day!!!

Almost Friend  
  
**Today** 4:49 AM  
hey  
  
Why are you awake?  
  
nothin just  
  
thinking abt how i have more than two students to teach again today. cant sleep  
  
u?  
  
Work stuff  
  
oh  
  
sorry to interrupt u  
  
No, you’re alright. I was just about finished anyway  
  
Do you wanna talk about it?  
  
no  
  
idk  
  
What’s the part you’re losing sleep over?  
  
idk im just getting the feeling that ill just fuckign torpedo it somehow  
  
Ah  
  
yeah and i cant afford to man  
  
i need to get this right  
  
Can I give some advice?  
  
sure why not  
  
It’s really not as life-and-death as that. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself.  
  
It's okay if you mess up a little, you're just figuring it out. Stop beating yourself up about something that hasn't even happened yet.  
  
oh  
  
thx  
  
that helped. weirdly  
  
I'm happy to do it  
  
oh cmon u pedantic little man we’ve been over this  
  
say it w me, “u-r w-e-l-c-o-m-e”  
  
Why does that bother you so much  
  
And shut the fuck up I’m neither pedantic nor little  
  
u just used the word ‘nor’ ur basically president pedantic  
  
You’re avoiding the question  
  
no im just not drunk enough to get into it w u rn  
Right  
  
You should sleep. You need the rest.  
  
u too  
  
I will soon. I’ll probably just take a half day and sleep in, or something.  
  
ok  
  
bcnu  
  
BCNU. Good luck!  
  
**Today** 5:11 PM  
How did it go?  
  
yeah it was fine i guess  
  
Well don’t sound too excited about it  
  
Everything okay?  
  
i think i scared them  
  
like scared them off  
  
What makes you think that?  
  
idk the fact that there were half as many students today than yesterday was kind of a big clue  
  
Oh  
  
yeah  
  
god what am i supposed to do  
  
went and ruined it just like i knew i would  
  
You didn’t ruin anything. They're not used to you yet, that’s all.  
  
You still have more than two students so that’s good, right?  
  
ok i know ur trying to make me feel better and i appreciate it but its not working even a littl ebit  
  
Sorry  
  
Do you at least know why they left?  
  
apparently calling them a bunch of fucking losers didnt help  
  
Please tell me you didn’t  
  
no i did, yesterday and today. n a bunch of other names too  
  
Oh my god.  
  
Did you apologize?  
  
for what  
  
**Today** 5:21 PM  
jesus its been like ten minutes stop typing spare me the fucking lecture  
  
ok i didnt mean it like that  
  
No, you're right.  
  
I'll spare you the lecture. Figure this one out on your own.  
  
dude come on  
  
**Today** 6:27 PM  
are u really being this way rn  
  
**Today** 7:04 PM  
look im sorry ok im sorry for calling them lectures  
  
are u happy  
  
No because that’s not the part I’m mad about  
  
Look I get that you’re upset, and I get that those kids leaving must hurt.  
  
But I’m trying to help you. I’m not the enemy. Stop taking it out on me.  
  
i know  
  
im sorry  
  
You still looking for suggestions?  
  
yes im fuckign desperate man  
  
Okay, well. Something I do with new kids at work is I don’t treat them like they’re beneath me or anything  
  
I don’t believe that hazing them or whatever is the way to go  
  
are u trying to make friends or run a business u weirdo  
  
I’m not gonna dignify that with a response  
  
Anyway  
  
They feel more comfortable asking me questions or coming to me for advice, and if I have any criticism, they don’t take it personally.  
  
so  
  
So don’t treat your students like they’re stupid, or like they’re "fucking losers"  
  
They’re there to learn from you. They want to learn from you. There’s no need to be so hard on them.  
  
i guess ur right  
  
Always am  
  
shut up  
  
guess ill give it a shot  
  
Yeah?  
  
yeah. nothin to lose right  
  
You’re gonna be just fine  
  
thx  
  
god dont fuckin say it  
  
Happy to do it :)  
  
hope u die  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whos ready for s3 next week bc boy OH boy i am not


	13. Episode 6, Part II - Quiver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading, i hope you enjoy this chapter!

Almost Friend  
  
**Yesterday** 1:19 PM  
Say, what kind of stuff do you like?  
  
Hm?  
  
Like for fun. What do you like to do?  
  
Wouldn’t my answer count as giving you details  
  
I don’t think so? Hobbies aren't like... exclusive to one person.  
  
If you like quilting or something I’m sure there’s at least five or six old age homes full of people who feel the same way. You could still be anybody.  
  
Fair enough  
  
Why do you care  
  
Just asking  
  
Wanted to see if we had anything in common  
  
Oh. I don’t really have the time for hobbies  
  
Unless drinking counts. Does drinking count?  
  
No. That it’s called a problem.  
  
Oh ha ha you're the funniest man in the world  
  
Thanks I think so too  
  
**Yesterday** 1:24 PM  
Sorry had to go put more coins in the dryer  
  
No worries  
  
I guess I kind of have a hobby, now that I think about it? The uh the thing that I teach started off as a hobby for me growing up  
  
But it's my job now, so… not exactly a hobby, but yeah. Final answer.  
  
Oh. That’s cool  
  
Vague as hell, but still cool  
  
That's how this works idiot  
  
I know  
  
**Yesterday** 1:26 PM  
Okay I can tell you’re in a mood and you want to talk about something related to this but you don't know how to bring it up  
  
So you can go ahead and drop the pretense  
  
Excuse me?  
  
What the hell are you  
  
There’s no pretense  
  
And I am NOT in a mood  
  
Mm-hm  
  
Knock it off. Can’t I ask about your interests without an agenda?  
  
You can. You’re just not doing it right now.  
  
You’re unbearable  
  
Unbearable and correct smiley face  
  
Smiley face?  
  
Oh my god the one fucking time I can hold something over your head and it backfires  
  
I can’t believe this stupid voice-to-text thing fucked me over  
  
Oh you meant :) ?   
  
Yeah how’d you do that  
  
You have to say the punctuation  
  
That’s literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard  
  
:)  
  
Unbelievable. I’m disgusted.  
  
Wait shut up stop distracting me we were talking about you  
  
No we weren't  
  
Come on. What’s on your mind?  
  
Nothing I just  
  
I don’t know if you can call it a hobby or what  
  
But… in high school I got into a sport.  
  
And I was good at it, really good. It changed my life.  
  
Then I had to focus on my job and my family, and I tried not to lose touch with it, but I did.  
  
Lately I’ve been thinking about picking it up again. I talked to my ex-wife about it and she says it’ll do me some good, but I’m still kind of on the fence.  
  
Okay  
  
Why?  
  
It just… feels like a big step.  
  
Last time I did it was back when the man who taught it to me was still alive  
  
And it’s not the same without him.  
  
Oh. I’m sorry.  
  
It’s okay. He’s been gone a while, but I still miss him.  
  
The whole thing reminds me of him.  
  
I think I can kind of understand that.  
  
Really?  
  
Yeah, but this isn’t about me. Maybe some other time.  
  
Okay  
  
So... what do you think I should do?  
  
Look, obviously you knew your teacher better than I do  
  
What would he have wanted you to do?  
  
Find balance.  
  
Always said if I did that, everything would be okay.  
  
Sounds like he knew his stuff  
  
Yeah. He was pretty great like that.  
  
I'll bet  
  
There's no pressure for you to make any decisions right now, so just think about it, alright? Take your time.  
  
I’m gonna go grab my clothes from the machine.  
  
Oh, yeah, sure.  
  
**Today** 3:44 AM  
Okay  
  
**Today** 3:46 AM  
?  
  
I’ve thought about it.  
  
A lot.  
  
and?  
  
And I think I wanna do it.  
  
But I don’t want to talk about it right now.  
  
I don’t think I can.  
  
thats ok  
  
u did good  
  
Thanks  
  
happy to do it  
  
Hey, you said it!  
  
dont make it weird  
  
I don't get why you make such a big deal about it, it's a thing people say  
  
idk it just feels like  
  
way too real to use on someone uve never even met before  
  
I say it because I mean it  
  
Whatever it is I can do to help you out, I really am happy to do it  
  
yeah u see that right there  
  
u dont know me man  
  
why would u be happy to do anything for me  
  
Because you deserve it  
  
**Today** 3:52 PM  
?  
  
sorry just  
  
processing  
  
Was that too real for you? Are you gonna break out in hives?  
  
ugh fuck off  
  
no it was nice i guess  
  
little bit too middle school sleepover for me but u do u  
  
Shut up. I'll talk to you in the morning?  
  
yeah  
  
gn  
  
Goodnight  
  



	14. Interlude - Ain't That A Kick In The Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> planned an interlude originally for once we hit the halfway point,,,, then we passed it two chapters ago (i know, i know, my bad). anyway, it makes more sense plot-wise to have it now, so here it is: a little sneak peek into the cobra kai kids' groupchat! enjoy <3

snake pit squad original flavor  
  
**Today** 4:33 PM  
aisha  
miguel is sensei with u  
he told us to lock up then forgot to give us the keys  
hes not here??? is he not at the dojo  
hawk  
He’s not idiot that’s why we’re asking you  
aisha  
how did u even get home if he didnt drive u  
i rode my bike back  
check if his car is still in the lot??  
aisha  
go on hawk u heard him  
hawk  
Wait what why do I have to go??  
aisha  
ur closest to the door  
hawk  
You’re literally sitting next to me  
dude  
hawk  
Ugh fine FINE fine  
**Today** 4:37 PM  
found him???  
aisha  
stop leaving us on read u asshole  
ye cmon man tell us what ur hawk-eyes see  
:D get it :D  
aisha  
is that from lord of the rings  
AND marvel :)  
hawk  
I hope you get hit by a car  
manifest destiny coward hit me urself  
hawk  
I Will  
aisha  
focus up did u find sensei??  
hawk  
Yeah he's in his car  
aisha  
well that took u less than five minutes what was all that bitching for  
hawk  
????? Lay off this is about Sensei not me  
pls is he ok???? whats he doing??  
hawk  
Yeah he’s just kind of  
Sitting there  
aisha  
aw man is he drinking and crying again  
hawk  
Haha no if he was I would’ve opened with that  
that was a rly weird time do u guys think he does that a lot like when he thinks hes alone  
aisha  
100% but i dont blame him bc he has to deal with u daily  
r u tryna insinuate that sensei thinks abt me outside the dojo  
bc if so ur wrong i guarantee u he forgets all our names and faces the second we leave his line of sight  
aisha  
...ok yeah thats fair u got me  
whats he doing??  
hawk  
He’s ,,, looking at his crotch and he’s laughing  
aisha  
WH  
pFFTKJSDFKSJD  
HES WHAT  
hawk  
IM NOT KIDDING HE WAS LOOKING DOWN AND SMILING AND NOW HE’S LAUGHING AT IT  
PLS WTF  
aisha  
kDKSKDJ WHY WOULD U DESCRIBE IT LIKE THAT WE USED TO RESPECT HIM  
hawk  
HOW ELSE SHOULD I HAVE SAID IT THATS WHAT IT FUCKING LOOKS LIKE  
GOD HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH HIM NOW  
aisha  
legally and also spiritually we can’t anymore  
ur right. this is how cobra kai dies  
aisha  
rip 5ever in our hearts gone too soon  
hawk  
Stop being dramatic just hold on a fucking second  
**Today** 4:41 PM  
hawk  
JDFH FALSE ALARM  
He’s TEXTING SOMEONE  
He just held up his hand a little and he’s got his phone he’s texting someone  
Ixnay on the dick stuff  
aisha  
U SAT THERE AND LET US THINK HE WAS LAUGHING AT HIS DICK LIKE SOME KINDA INCEL  
hawk  
I AM ONLY ONE MAN AISHA WHY DONT YOU COME OUT HERE NEXT TIME WE CANT FIND SENSEI  
aisha  
HIS DICK, HAWK  
hawk  
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT ITS KIND OF FUNNY ACTUALLY  
aisha  
YEAH I KNOW ITS HILARIOUS BUT HE NEEDS TO BE SCARY THATS HIS WHOLE THING ITS FOR HIS OWN HEALTH  
hawk  
Idk imagining Sensei Lawrence sitting in his car laughing at his own penis is a little bit scary  
JSFHBSFJ GUYS COME ON HES OUR DAD CAN WE PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT HIS DICK  
aisha  
hes our dad huh  
*autocorrect i meant dude  
hawk  
How the hell does dude autocorrect to dad  
i dont have time to explain to u the intricacies of technology  
aisha  
did u rly mean to say “guys come on hes our dude can we please stop talking about his dick” because thats even weirder than if u called him dad  
hawk  
I mean calling him dad is still pretty weird  
aisha  
tru  
hawk  
Miguel do you see Sensei Lawrence as a father figure  
NO  
if anything i see him as a BOTHER figure bc hes always BOTHERING ME haha lol  
aisha  
hey show ur father some respect u pussy  
guys please do not turn this into a thing it was autocorrect i swear  
aisha  
dw im sure the cobra dad will be flattered  
I Am Begging You Not To Use That On The Group With Him  
aisha  
oh wow great idea miguel thanks! :)  
AISHA PLEASE  
aisha  
:))  
is he still there hawk  
hawk  
Yeah this is so weird he’s like  
Genuinely happy I don’t think I’ve ever seen him make that face before  
It’s like seeing a turtle out of its shell  
aisha  
are u sure he’s smiling abt the texts maybe hes just rewatching that compilation vid u sent on the main group of miguel tripping over stuff  
the way that i decided to learn karate to fight bullies when the Real Bullies™ were my friends all along :///  
hawk  
No it’s definitely texts I can see the iMessage bubbles  
Also if he'd been watching Miguel Fails #3 then you’d be able to hear Another One Bites The Dust for at least a mile in every direction because Sensei doesn't know how to adjust the volume on his phone  
aisha  
ur right  
wait wasnt Miguel Fails #3 the one when he keeps walking into the mirrors in the dojo  
hawk  
No that’s Miguel Fails #6  
sorry wait you made sIX????  
aisha  
yeah youve seen them  
NOT SIX?? DIDNT YOU STOP AT THREE  
hawk  
No you do a lot of dumb stuff  
the day i get photoshop again it is All over for you, Hawk Breaks Stuff Comp  
hawk  
That’d be pretty sick actually, go ahead  
NO ur not supposed to enjoy it >:( u fuck >:(  
aisha  
whos sensei talking to do u think?  
hawk  
Maybe he’s got a date??  
I mean why else would he be texting from his car  
aisha  
idk im not gonna rule it out  
but he doesnt rly seem like the type to text a girl hes going out with ygwim?  
hawk  
Yeah and he literally hasn't stopped smiling so maybe not a date  
aisha  
miguel how do u feel about cobra dad going out on dates  
i feel good and neutral abt it bc hes not my dad, cobra or otherwise, so shut up <3  
hawk  
Miguel if you're not cool with your dad going on dates it's perfectly normal okay you just need to talk abohjhsdfgb  
aisha  
??  
??  
did hawk,,, die  
hawk  
this is sensei lawrence no hawk did not die but hes about to  
I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS IM AT HOME  
aisha  
THATS NOT TRUE SENSEI HE STARTED IT  
hawk  
dont care ur all getting fifty pushups monday  
wH  
hawk  
let this be a lesson that if ur gonna spy on someone  
do it better  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah u guessed it the kids caught reseda karate madman texting encino karate madman
> 
> if u get the literally shameless references ive shoved in this just know that i adore u with my whole heart
> 
> also yeah theres a cobra kai dojo gc with johnny on it and all they do is trade music recs and talk about hawk's latest miguel fails compilation
> 
> feel free to come hmu @miyagi-dont on tumblr dot com or @superblums on twitter dot com anytime!


	15. Episode 7, Part I - All Valley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we're back! thank you all for the lovely comments and kudos, i hope you enjoy this chapter!!

Almost Friend  
  
guess what movies on tonight  
  
?  
  
outsiders!  
  
Nice!!  
  
Don’t spoil the ending for me, we haven’t gotten there in the book yet  
  
ur not gonna watch?  
  
I can’t tonight, I have plans.  
  
lmao u got a hot date or something?  
  
Kind of, yeah  
  
oh  
  
which poor babe did u trick  
  
My ex-wife, actually.  
  
REALLY  
  
Yes really  
  
u know when i called her a poor babe that u tricked i didnt expect u to prove me right  
  
I didn’t trick her. Things have been going good lately so we’re giving this a shot  
  
god its even sadder bc u tricked her TWICE  
  
first time she went and married u then she came to her senses now shes being deceived again  
  
Hilarious. Are you finished?  
  
no i wanna know what ur secret is  
  
I don’t know. I bought new cologne.  
  
dont flatter urself not even cologne can save u  
  
oh wait wait  
  
i forgot u were loaded  
  
got it its tracking now  
  
If you're implying she's a gold digger...  
  
im js if theres a hustle i respect it  
  
id have done the same thing  
  
What's that supposed to mean?  
  
nothing. where are u taking her  
  
Dinner, movie  
  
lame  
  
u should take her to golf n stuff  
  
What? No  
  
why not its a classic i used to take my babes there all the time  
Big surprise  
  
hey for ur information i cleaned up just fine  
  
Whatever, I’m not taking her to Golf N’ Stuff. We’re adults, we’ve been on dates before. I know what she likes.  
  
yeah except u got her to leave u so what do u really know  
  
What makes you think she left me  
  
ive talked to u every day for like months man the real question is why do u think im stupid  
  
... Yeah okay I guess that's fair  
  
look mini golf is fun  
  
doesnt even matter if ur shitty at it  
  
u can win her a prize or smn  
  
chicks dig that  
  
And you know what chicks dig?  
  
yeah just bc i dont want to keep one down doesnt mean i dont know what they like  
  
You're just full of ironclad rebuttals tonight, aren't you?  
  
;)  
  
I guess I’ll text her and tell her there's been a change of plans  
  
**Today** 7:44 PM  
So  
  
She says she's into it  
  
HA  
  
take that u fuckin square  
  
Alright whatever sue me for thinking dinner and a movie is a normal idea for a first date  
  
technically not a first date for u two is it  
  
like ur starting off on the 11th or 12th date at least  
  
I know  
  
But we’ve both changed since the last time we did this, so in a way it is kind of like a first date  
  
I just hope it’s not a complete trainwreck  
  
dw it wont be  
  
thats whats so great abt golf n stuff is if it ever gets awkward u have lots of distractions  
  
Jesus you won you don’t need to keep selling it  
  
**Today** 8:02 PM  
ok i know this isnt rly my place to ask  
  
but do u think u guys are going to get back together?  
  
...I don’t know. I don’t wanna put that kind of pressure on it.  
  
We’re just gonna… see how it goes, I guess.  
  
do u want to get back together  
  
I don’t know that either  
  
ok no pressure  
  
have fun  
  
Will do. I’ll text you when I get back?  
  
cool  
  
**Today** 10:44 PM  
Home  
  
howd it go  
  
It was… surprisingly fun  
  
We’re gonna go out again on Saturday  
  
Thanks for the Golf N’ Stuff tip  
  
Turns out we’d both forgotten how shitty I am at mini golf  
  
so u biffed golf  
  
Oh yeah, totally. Without a doubt.  
  
She said it was cute though so I’m counting it as a win  
  
gross  
  
glad it worked out  
  
Thank you  
  
I don’t wanna jinx anything  
  
But I think I’m feeling good about it  
  
About us doing this I mean  
  
so u got laid huh  
  
WH  
  
NO???  
  
are u asking me or telling me  
  
Neither because we are NOT having this conversation  
  
cmon dont be a pussy did u at least make it to any bases  
  
God you’re the worst  
  
so u DID  
  
No we just kissed don't make a big fucking deal about it  
  
nice  
  
Why do you care anyway  
  
no reason i just figured u blew it  
  
I told you the date went well??  
  
yeah but who knows what well means for u mr dinner and a movie  
  
You’re never gonna let that go are you  
  
nope :)  
  
How was your night?  
  
oh  
  
movie was fuckign sad  
  
Aw man  
  
i take back calling them pinheads  
  
Yeah that was not in good taste  
  
Guess we don’t have to keep reading then?  
  
what why  
  
You know the ending  
  
so  
  
So there’s no point, is there?  
  
i know but i like it when u tell it to me  
  
Really?  
  
yeah  
  
Toeing the line into friend territory there pal  
  
what can i say i live dangerously  
  
Sure you do Mr Golf N’ Stuff  
  
hey fuck off it worked so dont fuckin question the process  
  
Fine, fine  
  
You wanna pick up where we left off in the book?  
  
sure  
  
wait hold on  
  
Alright, I'm ready. Go for it.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA golf n' stuff should be paying johnny for all the free business he keeps getting them


	16. Episode 7, Part II - All Valley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we hit 100 kudos the day season 3 came out and thats exactly the kind of karmic shit that im into. thank you all so much for all the love, i hope you'll enjoy this next chapter!

Almost Friend  
  
hi  
  
u know that meeting i told u i had today  
  
tgat really important one  
  
Yeah. You still haven’t told me what the meeting’s about  
  
well ur never gonna find out  
  
Yeah yeah I know  
  
What about it?  
  
i think im just going 2 ditch it and go home  
  
???  
  
Literally less than an hour ago you were bragging about how you were going to "fucking crush it" because you're "the man". What happened?  
  
Feeling a little nervous?  
  
dont ask stupid questions  
  
Come on, seriously. Are you okay?  
  
ya im just  
  
slightly concerned i wont be able to pull this off  
  
You will. I know you will  
  
u dont know that  
  
and u dont know me  
  
Okay, this whole “you don’t know me” thing that you keep throwing in my face needs to stop  
  
Just because I don’t know what your dumb face looks like doesn’t mean I don’t know you  
  
You can’t spill your guts to someone every damn day for months and not know them at least a little, okay?  
  
Just like I know right now you won’t admit it, but you’re scared of screwing up the meeting and letting your students down, so you’re sitting in your car and you’re fucking with the radio dial to buy yourself some time before you have to go in  
  
ok thats… creepy accurate  
  
can u see me????  
  
I can’t see you, idiot  
  
That’s the whole point  
  
im not sure what to say  
  
Don’t say anything. Go to your meeting. Blow it out of the water. Tell me how it went after  
  
ok  
  
ok ok yeah  
  
bcnu  
  
BCNU  
  
**Today** 9:42 PM  
so,,,, i did it  
  
Yeah?  
  
yeah  
  
went… better than i expected  
  
I knew you could  
  
thx  
  
**Today** 10:16 PM  
Okay about  
  
That thing earlier  
  
Before the meeting  
  
I just wanna say that I’m sorry for being weird  
  
I don’t like that you know me that well  
  
I don’t like that you know about all the crap in my head  
  
Why?  
  
Because it’s fucking weak, okay? You were right, I was scared before the meeting for exactly the stupid fucking reasons you said I was  
  
But being afraid is for pussies, and I don’t want you to think that about me.  
  
If you want, I could stop bringing it up  
  
No, no wait.  
  
Then it kind of hit me that… if you know me, then I guess I know you, too  
  
Oh?  
  
Yeah. Like, right now I know it’s Thursday, so you’re at home watching Property Brothers and you’re eating some kind of gross veggie pizza that you made.  
  
...My pizzas are not gross  
  
If you have to justify then that means they’re gross, man, I don’t know how to break it to you gently  
  
So you're telling me I have an old man routine that’s so easy to keep track of, even the guy who can’t seem to remember to change the oil on his car knows exactly what I’m doing on a Thursday night  
  
First of all, if the car still works, then checking the oil isn’t an emergency  
  
Second of all, your dumbass routine is only the half of it  
  
Yeah?  
  
Yeah. I also know that you’re just as scared of fucking things up as I am  
  
I know you’re worried about things with your ex and your kids and your job, and you don’t sleep a whole lot because of it  
  
And before you get all “I never told you I couldn’t sleep”, shut the fuck up, you didn’t have to say it. I can read the little time things on the messages you send  
  
Look, all I wanna say is you shouldn’t be scared or worried or any of that pansy shit, because you’re a good guy. And - and you try. And that’s all any of us can do.  
  
Because I know you. I know you're gonna be okay.  
  
...Now I don’t know what to say  
  
Don’t say anything  
  
And don’t bring this up again ever, you hear me?  
  
Sure. We wouldn’t want word of your compassion and decency getting around and tainting your pristine image  
  
You’re goddamn right  
  
**Today** 10:31 PM  
You know, you’re a good guy, too. You don’t believe that nearly as much as you should  
  
Yeah, well. Could say the same about you  
  
Guess you could  
  
Thank you, for, you know. Knowing me.  
  
I'm not sure there's a whole lot of people out there who really do.  
  
That's okay  
  
Happy to do it  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> drinking game pitch: take a shot every time u read the word "know"


	17. Episode 8, Part I - Molting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REUPLOAD (1/4/21)
> 
> ok so what happened here was that i was writing part II then realized that it made more sense to either include it in part I or have e8 divided into three parts (which i wasnt a big fan of), so here we are: probably the longest chapter in the story so far
> 
> (screenshotted all the comments u guys left on the previous version of this chapter, pls know even if i dont respond to them, every single one means a great deal to me ♡)
> 
> i hope you enjoy!

Almost Friend  
  
**Yesterday** 9:02 AM  
gm  
  
Morning  
  
You’re up early  
  
yeah  
  
trying smn new w the kids today  
  
Yeah? How’s that shaping up?  
  
its both hilarious and a little bit of a bummer  
  
So what I’m hearing is that it’s not fun for the kids at all  
  
well fun is subjective  
  
Please don’t maim these children  
  
im not maiming anybody  
  
if they happen to get maimed then thats on them  
  
Oh my god  
  
relax theyll be fine kids bounce back  
  
I can feel my entire body breaking out into stress ulcers  
  
gross  
  
whats new on ur end  
  
Nothing much. My mom’s coming to visit, so I’m excited to be walking on eggshells for a week  
  
why  
  
She doesn’t exactly know about the divorce  
  
dude  
  
hasnt it been like  
  
Almost a year, yeah, I know  
  
sorry im just trying to understand ur plan here  
  
u dont even live in the same house  
  
Yeah yeah I know I’m moving back in while she’s here  
  
this seems way more complicated than just telling her  
  
Yes I KNOW  
  
It’s just that she’s always been hard on my wife, and I know she’s gonna lose her mind if she finds out  
  
I don’t want my wife to have to deal with that, and I don’t want to have to deal with that either, on top of everything else I’ve got going on  
  
are things ok with u two  
  
Yeah. If I’m being honest, they’re going really good. That’s why I don’t want to do anything that’ll put any unnecessary pressure on it  
  
thats fair i guess  
  
is she cool w lying to ur mom  
  
She’s not cool with it but she gets why I don’t want to talk to my mom about it  
  
ok i feel like ur stepping out of ur regular crazy zone and entering a brand new much worse crazy zone  
  
how are u so sure ur moms gonna take it badly  
  
give her a little credit  
  
Ha ha. I'm not crazy, you haven’t met my mom. I love her to death, but she’s an actual lunatic  
  
She’s gonna antagonize my wife for leaving me  
  
And then she's gonna try to set me up with one of her friends' daughters  
  
Who, no offense, I could do way better than  
  
And then whatever progress my wife and I have made is just gonna go to shit  
  
so u come up w the worst possible scenario and then u just hit the gas huh  
  
No this is reasonable behavior I'm being reasonable stop freaking me out  
  
It's a good plan. It's solid  
  
Right?  
  
u want me to give it to u straight  
  
Yeah  
  
Actually no wait sugarcoat it a little  
  
Or a lot  
  
ok  
  
this is the best plan ive ever heard ever  
  
Yeah?  
  
no u fuck jar u just asked me to sugarcoat it  
  
Stop freaking me out she's on the way from the fucking airport I don't need this right now  
  
no im gonna freak u out and u know why?  
  
Why  
  
bc i dont support this at all  
  
Why the hell not?  
  
are u fuckin hearing urself rn??? ur going to move back into ur ex-wife’s house just to con ur fuvking mom man  
  
like ok it might be amazingly funny but its a major pussy move  
  
Fuck off  
  
im serious  
  
grow some balls and be honest with ur mom  
  
...God. I can't believe I'm considering this.  
  
i can bc deep down i bet u know im right and also, i bet u hate that im right  
  
Shut up  
  
oh i bet u hate it so much  
  
are u super mad i have the moral high ground rn  
  
are u kind of turned on  
  
Oh my god SHUT UP  
  
mhm thats what i thought  
  
You better hope I don't see you in real life or it's on sight  
  
HA id like to see u try  
  
first talk to ur mom tho  
  
God  
  
If this goes badly for us then I'm blaming you completely  
  
thats only if it goes badly  
  
I have no doubt that it will  
  
ill drink a beer in ur memory if u want  
  
Gee thanks  
  
yw  
  
alright i gotta bounce good luck w it  
  
Where are you going  
  
gotta go save one of my kids from a german shepherd i mightve sicked on em  
  
It’s sicced  
  
Wait WHAT THE FUCK  
  
cant hear u bye  
  
DUDE?????  
  
👋🏃  
  
**Today** 10:53 AM  
Oh my god this is my own personal hell get me out GET ME OUT  
  
glad to hear its going well  
  
SHUT UP  
  
This might be one of the top five worst days of my life  
  
As if today wasn’t awful enough already, my dumbass deadbeat cousin is here and I can feel in my fucking bones that he’s going to ruin it for me  
  
You know, one time he tried to Shark Tank me for money so he could start a hydroponic weed business, and he pitched it to me while my mother was IN THE FUCKING ROOM  
  
have u not done weed  
  
I have but that’s not the point of the story  
  
no this is interesting are u a pothead  
  
finally a version of u that i can get behind  
  
I’m not a pothead, I tried a little weed in high school and I wasn’t a fan. Makes me mouthy  
  
wait how does someone who is basically one giant mouth on regular days get even worse when theyre high isnt weed supposed to mellow u out  
  
I DON’T REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT WEED RIGHT NOW  
  
man just calm down stop being dramatic  
  
I’m not being dramatic!  
  
really? where r u texting me from rn  
  
... I plead the Fifth  
  
that means nothing to me  
  
answer the q  
  
God fine fine  
  
I’m in the linen closet.  
  
HAHAHA WHAT  
  
If I go out there they’re just going to drag me into it and I don’t want to be collateral damage!  
  
sure  
  
”im not being dramatic” he says from inside his linen closet  
  
Technically not my linen closet. This is my wife’s house.  
  
good job that makes u look better  
  
ur just gonna hide out in there forever?  
  
Not forever  
  
I have a granola bar in my pocket and my battery is at 95% so I could probably last at least few days or something  
  
what about if u need to take a piss  
  
I’ll sneak out at night  
  
why do u always come up with these insane dumbass schemes instead of just talking to ppl like a normal person  
  
Listen I don’t have to explain myself to you  
  
whatever u gotta tell urself chief  
  
**Today** 12:03 PM  
If I gave you my address could you come by and just throw something really hard at the back of my head  
  
You don’t even have to look at my face or anything I swear I’ll go down quick  
  
as fun as that might be  
  
im gna have to pass  
  
PLEASE  
  
sorry dude i cant im busy  
  
What are you busy with at noon on a Saturday? You’re never even awake before 2 PM  
  
giving private lessons  
  
Oh  
  
Wait oh my god am I interrupting you? Jesus I’m sorry  
  
no its fine u dont bother me  
  
theres just this competition thing coming up and i want my kids to do well  
  
been psyching them up for it for weeks but im pretty sure theyre not ready at all  
  
Well, who knows? Maybe they’ll surprise you  
  
thats a nice thought but they genuinely suck  
  
I really feel the love when you talk about your students, you know that?  
  
shut up i worry about them thats why i think theyre not ready  
  
i dont want them to feel bummed out after they get their asses kicked  
  
I mean  
  
Sentiment’s there so I guess I can give it to you  
  
All you can really do is prepare them for either outcome, right?  
  
why would i wanna do that  
  
So they don’t feel bummed out or blame themselves if things don’t turn out the way they’d hoped?  
  
Like winning is good, sure, but you learn from losing  
  
wow nancy which fortune cookie did u get that from  
  
Shut up. You said you did this thing you teach in high school, right? As a hobby?  
  
yeah  
  
Did you have competitions back then?  
  
yeah  
  
Did you ever lose?  
  
once  
  
How’d you take it?  
  
how do u think i took it i quit for like thirty fucking years  
  
Ah  
  
Well  
  
Maybe I could send you a TED Talk or something  
  
whos ted  
  
... We can save that for another day.  
  
**Today** 1:18 PM  
Can’t deal with this I’m leaving  
  
mature of u  
  
did u talk to her yet  
  
No.  
  
They’re both at each other’s throats and I didn’t know what to do so I made up some excuse about us having run out of orange juice or something and just left  
  
oh  
  
u ok?  
  
No  
  
I don’t know why I can’t do this. I don’t know why this is so hard.  
  
ur just nervous  
  
its ok  
  
It’s not just that. I’ve been nervous before. I have no problem admitting when I’m nervous. This just… feels so difficult.  
  
is it maybe bc u feel like if u tell ur mom u got divorced it makes it real  
  
and on some level u havent accepted it yet  
  
...Wow.   
  
That’s  
  
Surprisingly insightful of you.  
  
thanks i stole it off a ted talk  
  
Yeah?  
  
yeah i looked it up on the yahoo after u mentioned it earlier  
  
for the record theyre super boring and lame and theres no guy named ted even giving the talks no wonder ur into that crap lol  
  
Way to save face, man  
  
😎  
  
Weirdly, though, I think you might have a point.  
  
Maybe us going out isn’t even really helping that at all  
  
i mean u did call her ur wife a bunch  
  
Oh. I didn’t even realize I was doing that.  
  
So much for not putting pressure on it, huh?  
  
what are u gonna do?  
  
Talk to her, I guess. Find out what she thinks about all this.  
  
might be the most decent plan uve ever come up w  
  
Thanks I guess  
  
ur gonna be fine  
  
dont overthink it  
  
Okay. Okay.  
  
Can you tell me how your day was? I could use the distraction  
  
oh sure  
  
we had class all morning, we’re taking a break now  
  
might let them go early bc im trying to clean up around my apartment and its taking way more time than i figured  
  
shit that reminds me i have to get food i think i have like  
  
some loose hot pockets in my freezer that i didnt eat last night  
  
Loose hot pockets  
  
yeah they fell out of the box i forgot to put em back in  
  
It’s amazing that you’re the same man who was just giving me helpful relationship advice  
  
what can i say i contain multitudes  
  
The mind truly boggles  
  
So you're cleaning up, huh? What brought that on?  
  
uh nm i just had dinner w my student's family yesterday  
  
his mom said smn about not letting the mistakes of ur past determine ur future  
  
and idk it kind of stuck w me  
  
Yeah?  
  
yeah  
  
plus she gave me leftovers that were really good  
  
She sounds nice  
  
she is. super hot too. like, REALLY hot  
  
ok before u get on my case abt being a homewrecker, shes divorced  
  
I wasn't going to get on your case about being a homewrecker  
  
yeah right and denial is just a river in egypt  
  
Stop it, I'm happy for you.  
  
You deserve someone who makes you happy  
  
jesus christ i call a babe hot once and ur already planning my fucking wedding  
  
Are you gonna ask her out?  
  
idk  
  
i have no idea what i want rn, havent dated in years  
  
Okay, okay, sorry, no pressure. One step at a time, right?  
yeah. gonna focus on getting my shit together first  
  
Solid plan  
  
yep. thats how normal adults handle things, so take notes if u need to  
  
Shut up  
  
I think I’m gonna drive some more. Clear my head a little before I have to go back  
  
ok  
  
but this better not be u trying to avoid another conversation w ur ex wife man  
  
No, no. I’m gonna talk to her. I promise.  
  
I just need a minute on my own  
  
ok  
  
drive safe  
  
Always do  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> upped the chapter count to 22 because i cant do basic math 😎 depending on whether or not this story needs an epilogue or some stuff in-between, i might change the count to 23 - 25, but we'll see what happens with that.
> 
> my tumblr is @miyagi-dont and my twitter is @superblums, come say hi!!
> 
> (p.s. if i linked a playlist for this fic would u guys b into that? y/n)


	18. Episode 8, Part II - Molting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here we go, part 2! thanks for sticking around, i hope you enjoy this one!

Almost Friend  
  
How did it go?  
  
I don’t know  
  
We talked. She says she understands, and she says she needs some time to think. Said maybe it’d be best for both of us if we stayed friends instead of rushing to fix something that we hadn’t even really processed in the first place  
  
That sounds like it went pretty well  
  
No, yeah, I know. I just… I don’t know how I feel about it.  
  
What do you mean?  
  
I didn’t really believe it was happening. The divorce, I mean. And even though we’ve been doing this whole thing, the seeing other people, the living in different houses, it still never hit me?  
  
And then we went out to dinner a few times, and that just made it feel even less real. Like the divorce itself was this temporary thing we’d move past  
  
Now it’s just this big thing that I have no idea how to handle  
  
I’m sorry  
  
It’s okay  
  
Is there anything I can do?  
  
I don’t know.  
  
If you could buy me a drink, that’d be great.  
  
Really?  
  
I mean yeah, but it’s… not like you can  
  
Right?  
  
Right.  
  
Okay, I’m meeting one of the kids from work for something. We’re gonna be out for the day, so if you can’t reach me, don’t freak out  
  
Oh. Okay. Have fun  
  
Talk later?  
  
Yep  
  
**Today** 12:22 PM  
Hi  
  
hey  
  
hows it going  
  
Good! Good. I’m teaching him some stuff. Just gave him something to do and told him I was gonna check the score on the Devils-Islanders game.  
  
lmao why did u miss me or smn  
  
No shut up  
  
very telling  
  
what r u teaching him  
  
That sport that I had a little crisis about getting back into  
  
oh  
  
wow nice  
  
Yeah. It is nice  
  
I feel a lot better, honestly. About the divorce and everything, I mean.  
  
Guess I just needed some reminding about the things that mattered.  
  
nice  
  
wait u like hockey?  
  
Yeah  
  
You don’t?  
  
idk never rly got into it here  
  
california n all  
  
Yeah I guess that’s fair  
  
I’ll text you when we’re done here?  
  
👍  
  
**Today** 2:41 PM  
Home  
  
cool  
  
how are u feeling  
  
Tired, but good  
  
You?  
  
good  
  
saw my stepdad today  
  
Oh, man.  
  
Wait, on purpose?  
  
yeah  
  
I thought you hated the guy  
  
i do  
  
went over to his house to stick it to him  
  
Stick it to him... how?  
  
paid him back for all his stupid handouts n then i told him he could go fuck himself  
  
politely  
  
Wow  
  
Must’ve been cathartic  
  
what  
  
Cathartic? Like when you do something that makes you feel good, like you’re releasing a bunch of pent-up energy or anger or whatever  
  
oh so like an outlet  
  
but for ur brain  
  
?  
  
Yeah pretty much  
  
yeah it did feel pretty good  
  
Glad to hear it  
  
**Today** 7:57 PM  
Hey  
  
You still up for that drink?  
  
What?  
  
You asked earlier if I could buy you a drink  
  
I’m asking if you’re still interested  
  
How is that even gonna work?  
  
Easy, I’ll give you directions to a bar. I'll pay for a drink. Just tell me what color shirt you’re wearing, bartender can keep an eye out for you.  
  
So… wait, so you’re gonna see me, but I won’t see you?  
  
I won’t hang around, don’t worry  
  
I’m not itching to find out what your ugly face looks like  
  
Ha ha, very funny  
  
... You don’t have to go through the trouble  
  
No, I wanna  
  
I’m happy to do it  
  
Go get ready or whatever, I’ll text you in like fifteen minutes.  
  
Okay  
  
**Today** 10:31 PM  
ready?  
  
Yeah  
  
My shirt’s blue  
  
wow so original  
  
Shut up this was your idea  
  
yeah but ur not even making it easy  
  
for the bartender i mean  
  
You know, I have to do the dishes anyway, so I could just stay home  
  
no no ok forget i said anything  
  
u invented the color blue  
  
Nice save  
  
thx  
  
ill send u the address  
  
Okay  
  



	19. Interlude - I Think We're Alone Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> little bit of prose for this interlude! i had fun writing this, even if im super nervous about posting it lol
> 
> i hope the timeline makes at least some amount of sense, and i hope you enjoy!

He said he wouldn’t hang around. He said it, those were his exact words. He'd typed out: _I won’t hang around, don’t worry._

What the hell is he still doing here?

Something’s stopping him. Curiosity, maybe. Apprehension, probably.

Is opening up easier when you have no idea what the other person looks like? Texting Guy had said he felt like his divorce wasn’t real, and maybe something like that is happening to Johnny. Maybe the whole… whatever they have, hasn’t felt real, and by finally putting a face to the words being sent back to him through his dinky little phone, he’s making it real.

Johnny doesn’t even _like_ texting. The only reason he does is because there’s no other fucking way to talk to this guy, and also the videos Hawk sends of Miguel being a klutz are kind of funny.

He’s paid Ramona (a bartender who is the least likely to make fun of him for this) a couple twenties - just so that he won't come off as a cheapskate - and carefully types out the address before hitting _send_. He was about to leave, really, when he wondered what would happen if he just... didn't.

So he'd bought himself a light beer and decided last-minute to wait for a little bit. No harm, right?

There’s six different people wearing blue shirts. Five of them are men. Three of those men look old enough to be divorcees. All of them have been here before him.

Maybe he just wants to see if the guy is someone he knows. He raises his beer to his lips and chuckles. That’d be a trip.

A few minutes in, someone wearing a blue shirt _does_ show up. Johnny raises stupidly hopeful eyes to the door, then frowns, and drops back into his slouch against the vinyl bench seats of the booth. It’s just some teenager in a Stanford sweatshirt.

He absently taps a pattern onto the side of his bottle with his fingertips, and half-pays attention to the TV. There’s a hockey game on: the highlights from today’s match. _Devils vs Islanders_. He doesn’t really understand hockey, but tries to keep up anyway (who knows, maybe he can bring it up with Texting Guy later and score some brownie points). This goes on with little to no success. When someone changes the channel to a news station, he's nothing but relieved.

Johnny returns his eyes to the door. After about five minutes, when it doesn’t swing open out of the sheer willpower in his gaze, he takes another sip of his room temp beer to quell his disappointment. His face settles into a grimace. _Maybe this is -_

❖

_\- a stupid idea,_ thinks Daniel, hands in the pockets of his jacket, collar popped against the light breeze. He double-checks the address, makes sure his car is locked (like, four times), and fusses about his hair for almost ten minutes. There’s literally nothing left to do now but go in.

What is he nervous about? His _Almost Friend_ won’t even be here to see him. It isn’t that big of a deal. He’s just getting a drink. That's normal. People do that all the time.

(It sure _feels_ like a big deal.)

He checks his phone again. No new texts, after the address and the name of the bartender he's supposed to ask for.

Daniel wonders briefly what would happen if he just… turns around and goes home. He’s certain the guy won’t mind, but he _did_ set all this up just to make Daniel feel better. It’d be a dick move to leave, and Daniel doesn’t want to hurt his feelings.

(More than that, some tiny part of him is kind of hoping that the guy decided to hang around.)

He shakes out his shoulders and steps inside, eyes darting around the room perfunctorily before he stops himself. It’s not like he _knows_ who he’s looking for. Daniel also tries to bear in mind that staring at the other people in the bar is just going to creep everyone out, and that the guy _definitely isn’t here, so stop looking for him, Jesus Christ_. He’s the one who started this whole Nora Ephron arrangement, right? In all likelihood, he’s probably long gone by now. 

Daniel's still reminding himself of these things as he crosses the floor to the bar and cops a seat on an empty barstool. He _still_ finds his gaze wandering to the people without groups milling just on the fringes of the pool tables and dartboards, half-expecting someone to be staring at him right back. He feels… disappointed, almost, when it turns out that nobody’s paying him any mind, and hell, if that isn’t the most pathetic thing he’s ever felt in his life.

He clears his throat to get the bartender’s attention. “Hi,” he says when she comes over, and then he very quickly realizes he has no idea how to go about this (should’ve rehearsed something in the car, god _damn_ it), so he just kind of makes an apologetic face and gestures to his shirt. “My friend told me to be here? He’s buying me a drink, told me to ask for a, um,” pauses, glances at the name of the bartender in their text chain, “Ramona?”

She grins. “That’s me. Let me guess. Blue shirt?” Daniel’s brows lift, and a giddy kind of relief knocks him square in the chest. He nods. “Don’t worry,” she says, tilting her head. “I’ve - “

❖

“ - got you covered.”

“Thank you,” Johnny says, the corner of his mouth pulling a little, palms splayed flat on the bar top. Ramona is polite, if a little bemused, about the whole thing. She’s wiping down glasses and frowning as Johnny messily cracks open some more peanuts, for nothing else but to direct his nervous energy _somewhere._

“I think it’s really nice of you,” she says, “to do this for your boyfriend. Keeps the magic alive, y’know?”

Well, Johnny doesn’t care for that _at all_ . “For the last time,” he grumbles through a mouthful of peanuts, “he’s _not_ my boyfriend. Don’t call him that when he gets here.”

She shrugs, and throws a rag over one shoulder, her orange plastic hoop earrings bright against the column of her neck. “Whatever you say, Johnny. I’m just glad you’re not here to mope on your own.”

Johnny frowns, mid-chew. “I don’t - _when_ have I ever come here to mope?”

“When have you not?”

“I… don’t _mope_ ,” he retorts eloquently, which sounds kind of pathetic even to his own ears.

An eye-roll. “Please, you mope so much it should be your middle name.”

“That doesn’t even - okay, you know what, just.” He drops his head into his hands. “Just don’t blow this for me, okay?”

“Yeah, like _I’m_ the problem here.” She pushes the peanut bowl aside out of reach and leans towards him, elbows on the table, a stern look in her eyes. “Listen, you better not start shit tonight, okay? There’s only so many times I can cover your ass for Dylan. Only reason he keeps letting you back in here is because you’re such a good customer.”

“Hey, I was eating those,” Johnny protests halfheartedly.

Ramona snaps her fingers in front of his face. “I’m being serious. Don’t even think about busting out any of your lunatic kicking, okay? Under no circumstances.”

Johnny’s brow furrows. “It’s _karate,_ ” he mumbles, but crosses his heart anyway.

“ _Thank_ you,” she says, exasperated. “Now, -”

❖

“ - What can I get you?”

Daniel pulls his lower lip into his mouth and sighs, drumming his fingernails on the tabletop. “Martini? Extra olives, ice cold?”

She smiles and pulls a glass from under the bar. “You bet.”

Daniel watches her make the drink and thinks, _What am I doing here?_ He’s a grown man, divorced, sitting at a bar, alone, on a Tuesday night. He spent almost twenty minutes picking out something to wear. For what? The whole point is that he _isn’t_ meeting someone.

He doesn’t really feel like watching the news, and he doesn’t know what looks more desperate: having his phone out or keeping it in his pocket. People drink alone, right? It’s normal enough; there’s plenty of people doing just that in this very bar. But for whatever reason, Daniel doesn’t feel nearly as comfortable in his own skin as they seem to be.

Maybe because he feels like he’s being watched.

But that’s probably nothing, really. People give him second and third looks all the time when he’s out. It’s because they “could’ve sworn they’ve seen him somewhere” but they “just can’t place him”.

(He supposes that’s what he gets for agreeing to do those commercials for the dealership, but whatever. He doesn’t mind.)

Right now, though, there’s nobody coming up to him to strike up a conversation, which kind of blows. Being quiet has never actually been his strong suit. He glances around him, but there’s nobody near enough to talk to. Great. This is great.

Daniel sighs as the bartender passes him the drink, and impales an olive on the pointed end of the cocktail umbrella in his martini (an umbrella that he... doesn’t actually mind having, honestly; it’s kind of cute). He wishes he could talk to someone. Literally _anyone_ -

“Hey, um,” says Johnny Lawrence on Daniel’s right, inelegantly setting an empty bottle down on the tabletop, a pleasant smile on his face, “can I get another one of these?”

Daniel does a double-take, jaw dropping.

It doesn’t seem like Johnny’s noticed him, which is insane, since he’s like, the only person seated at the bar right now, and Johnny is standing less than two feet away from him. Either he’s blind or he’s just being childish.

“You planning on paying for it?” Ramona asks in a voice that means she already knows the answer.

Johnny’s grin just grows bigger. “I’ll get you back next time?” he replies in a voice that means he’s tried this before and failed.

She flips him off. 

Daniel glares at Johnny and spreads his palms like, _what the fuck_? He clears his throat deliberately.

Johnny finally looks at him ( _definitely_ being childish - typical fucking Johnny). His expression flattens into something polite and dry, as if they haven’t been at each other’s throats for months, as if this is the first time they’re meeting each other, _as if they’re not literally enemies._

“Oh,” he says, unbothered, and Daniel can feel himself getting riled up already, “hey LaRusso, -”

❖

“- Didn’t see you there.”

Okay, so there’s two ways Johnny can play this.

He can be the bigger man, he can be mature about it.

Or he can just punch LaRusso in his stupid mouth and go home feeling good about himself.

And since the moment the stuck-up little sonofabitch poked his head into the bar, it’s all Johnny’s been able to think about. He’s about to, honestly, after ten minutes of staring daggers into the back of LaRusso's stupid head, but then he remembers Ramona telling him to cool it with the “insane kicking”, so he just sits quietly and sips his beer.

Plus, the number of bars in his area that have him on some kind of watchlist is quickly growing, and he really isn’t in the mood to get on Dylan’s. It's just not worth it. If he did, he’d have to make a pain-in-the-ass drive to the nearest dive (out on _Topanga Canyon Road)_ that still stocked Banquets.

He ought to go say hi, since they're both normal people and that's what normal people do. So he decides to be cool about it. Sidles up to the bar, putting on his most appealing smile, attempting to bum a free drink off of Ramona. She’s not buying it his bullshit for a second, of course, and he didn’t expect her to, but it’s enough of a reason to go up there and watch LaRusso speedrun every stage of grief and then invent some new ones while Johnny stares straight ahead and pretends like he isn’t there.

(Okay, so it’s not exactly mature or normal, but it’s funny as hell. Sue him.)

“What the hell are you doing here?” asks LaRusso, gripping the stem of his glass tightly in one hand and making a fist with the other. It really doesn’t take much to get him mad, does it?

Johnny shrugs. “Getting a drink, same as you.”

LaRusso’s eyes twitches.

When's the last time they saw each other? Oh, right, that Committee meeting. Johnny grins a little at the memory. LaRusso’s making the same face now that he was then, that weird thing he does where he smiles with his mouth but goes dead in the eyes. Kind of like a shark, or - no, wait. Something less cool. Like a cat.

Just to see if he can make a vein pop in LaRusso’s forehead, Johnny sits down on the barstool beside him. “So,” he begins, smiling a particularly infuriating smile, “they didn’t have any - “

❖

“ - cocktail umbrellas in your neck of the woods?”

Daniel’s jaw works and he resists the urge to shove Johnny right off his seat. God, that’d be satisfying. Playing that scenario out in his head for a few moments is enough to make him unclench his fist a little. 

“I know what you’re trying to pull,” he says calmly, “and it’s not going to work.”

Johnny tilts his head, the fucking picture of innocence. “I’m not pulling anything. Can’t a guy talk to another guy without it being weird?”

Daniel rolls his eyes so hard he feels like they might roll right out of his head and onto the floor. “Yeah, he can. If the guy was _literally_ anybody else.”

“Wow,” Johnny scoffs, “well. Don’t hold back at my expense.”

“Wasn’t trying to.”

Johnny shakes his head like he expected better from Daniel, and _Jesus fucking Christ,_ of course this is happening to him right now. Of course his shitty fucking luck works out like this, so he’s got nobody else to talk to tonight except for the most aggravating man in the Valley, possibly in the whole world. He eyes his cocktail umbrella, and wonders if it can puncture a jugular vein.

Johnny tugs a bowl of peanuts towards himself and starts cracking them all over the table, like this is his first time navigating peanuts or something. Daniel can only watch in horror.

“ _What_ are you doing?” he asks after a few minutes, exhausted just by the mess he’s making that he seems completely unbothered by.

“What, I can’t eat now?” Johnny asks, mouth full.

“ _Can_ you?” retorts Daniel, one eyebrow raised.

Johnny leans closer and starts chewing obnoxiously.

❖

_There’s_ that vein. Ha. Fucking hilarious.

LaRusso grinds his teeth, throws back his drink, and stands up. “I’m leaving.” 

“Come on, Danielle,” Johnny grins, enjoying himself entirely too much, “I’m just messing with you.”

LaRusso crosses his arms over his chest, just like the pissy little car salesman that he is. “Oh yeah? Like you did in high school?”

“I mean. Not _not_ like I did in high school.”

That earns him a glare. “It didn’t feel like messing around when you dislocated my fucking knee. _Illegally,_ I might add. You know I have sciatica now?”

Great. This guilt trip again.

“First of all," Johnny says, rising to the bait shamelessly, " _Bobby_ popped your knee." The fact that Johnny's deliberate elbow took it all the way goes unspoken, but he can see it flash behind LaRusso's eyes. "And if you wanna talk about illegal, why don't we start with your crane kick?”

“You know what, Johnny?” says LaRusso, jaw clicking. “Rules say anything above the belt counts, right? Lucky for you, your head is so far up your own ass, maybe that kick _was_ illegal.”

Ramona snorts at that, and Johnny shoots her a frown that asks, _who the hell's side are you on?_

She cocks an eyebrow back at him like, _not yours, obviously,_ which, okay, kind of hurtful, but whatever.

“Weren’t you supposed to be leaving?” asks Johnny, popping another peanut into his mouth, cracking it between his teeth.

“Oh, don’t worry. I am,” replies LaRusso.

He glances at Ramona, and his face instantly softens up. It catches Johnny by surprise, a little. “Could you tell him I said thanks? For the drink?” LaRusso asks, voice low, completely ignoring Johnny now.

Johnny frowns. _Tell him I said thanks? Him who?_

Ramona raises her eyebrows, surprised confusion flashing across her face as she glances between them both, then a slow grin twists her lips. “Sure.”

"Thanks," he says, smiling, and taps the bar with his knuckles in parting.

“Good talk,” Johnny calls to LaRusso’s back as he heads out of the door. “Asshole,” he mumbles under his breath.

❖

“Wish I could say the same,” says Daniel pleasantly as he pushes open the door, then adds in a mutter, “dick.” That sort of makes him feel better, in a petty kind of way.

He cranks the radio on the drive home, kind of upset that he's let Johnny get under his skin that easily. On top of that, he feels like he’s got all this energy that he has no idea what to do with. So he texts Amanda and asks if he can come by the dojo for a little bit. She says she’s dropping Anthony off at a friend’s for a sleepover, but that Sam’s home to answer the door, so he can go ahead.

Twenty minutes later and he’s pulling into his old driveway, hugging his daughter, and she tells him that he looks nice, which is something that never happens, so he pumps his fist in a little victory move, and she laughs, tugging him inside. Things between them feel almost normal again.

❖

Johnny goes to the bathroom once he’s finished powering through all the peanuts in the bowl. When he comes back out, wiping his hands on his jeans, the bar crowd is steadily thinning, and Ramona’s pulling on a jacket, hair loose around her shoulders, name tag unclipped.

“Shift over already?” asks Johnny, nose wrinkling, because he doesn’t really feel like going back to his apartment right now.

Ramona hums, and shoulders her purse. “Yeah. I better not see you here in the morning knocked out on my bar, okay, I just fucking wiped this down,” she warns, and Johnny snaps off a lazy, two-fingered salute. She studies him for a moment, then reaches under the bar for another Banquet, and slides it over to him. “On the house,” she sighs, and Johnny raises an eyebrow.

“Really?”

“Really.” The corner of her mouth tugs into a smile as she heads for the employee exit. “By the way,” she adds, one hand on the crash bar, “your boyfriend says thanks.”

Johnny’s brows lift, and his heartbeat kicks up, sharp disappointment curling in his stomach. So Texting Guy had come and gone, and Johnny had been too busy trying to push Daniel LaRusso’s buttons to notice. “Jesus. How long was I in the bathroom?” he mumbles, mostly to himself.

She gives him an incredulous look, shakes her head, and then she’s gone.

Johnny takes the bottle to go, pushing up out of his seat and driving home about an hour after LaRusso stormed off. Once he's pulled into his lot, he kills the engine and just… sits, for a little while. He feels tired.

It’s late, the windows in Miguel's apartment are dark, and when he finally pulls himself together long enough to make the short walk from his car to his door, it feels like it takes somewhere between ten minutes and ten years.

There is a picture of Robby on his fridge from when he was a little kid, eight or eleven or something. Johnny stares at it. He’s wearing his blue soccer uniform and that cheek-splitting grin that kids have, his in particular hooking up higher on one side than the other (just like Johnny's).

He’s a good kid. He's gonna be okay with or without Johnny around.

But Johnny _does_ want to be around. He just… doesn’t know where he fits in. 

Carmen's voice comes to him quietly. _You can't let the mistakes of your past determine your future._

He thinks about Texting Guy, who doesn’t ever hesitate to remind him that he’s doing his best, and that’s all that matters.

He bites the inside of his cheek.

Something is nagging at the back of his mind, but he doesn’t know what it is. It’s annoying, so he twists off the cap on the Banquet and snaps it somewhere in the general area of a trash can. He puts away about half of the beer and then the nagging seems to dull down a little bit. Good.

He digs out an old notebook and pen from a desk drawer, and sits down at his table. He taps the pen against his teeth a couple times. ROBBY, he writes carefully, figuring that that’s as good a place to start as any. Then he frowns. Adds a DEAR before the ROBBY, and okay, that looks a little bit better than before.

He starts to write.

❖

Sam goes upstairs to do homework, and Daniel beelines for the dojo, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt and toeing off his shoes once he’s inside. Almost immediately, his brain switches off from worrying about the divorce and the dealership and Cobra goddamn Kai, and he takes a deep breath.

_Balance._

He closes his eyes, and cycles through warmups and stretches.

Once he’s got a good steady burn going in his muscles, he works through his kata methodically, and then starts practising some kick combinations.

Karate comes to him as easily as breathing, and if he keeps his eyes closed, it’s almost like there’s nothing else in the world.

He can’t remember why he ever let this go.

When his leg starts to flare up again, he pauses mid-heel kick, sighs, and does a couple of stretches to cool down. He’s not even that tired, but he knows that if he keeps going then there won’t be enough Percocet in the world to help him.

Daniel is sitting on the mat, pacing himself through a bottle of water, and kneading his knee with his fingertips absently, when Amanda waves at him from the door. He offers her a small smile in return.

“Hey. You okay?” she asks. He shrugs, mouth full of water, and pats his knee. She gets the gist, and winces sympathetically. “You can crash in the guest bed if you don’t feel like driving tonight,” she says, and Daniel tries not to look too taken aback by the offer.

He swallows. “Okay.”

❖

Johnny pauses to glance at Robby's picture again. His throat feels thick, like it’s full of drying cement. He swallows, as if that can help at all, then frowns. The nag becomes louder, and through the fuzzy blur that is his brain, Johnny thinks, _wasn't LaRusso wearing a blue shirt?_

He stares at his hands.

_“Could you tell him I said thanks? For the drink?”_

_“Your boyfriend says thanks.”_

Then there’s a crash outside his window, and before he can even fully register what’s going on, his fucking car is on fire.


	20. Episode 9, Part I - Different But Same

Almost Friend  
  
**Today** 6:03 AM  
Haven’t heard from you in a while. Are you okay?  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** ?  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** Oh my god have you fucking blocked me again??  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** Why are you being this way  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** **Today** 6:22 AM  
Was it something I said?  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** Look whatever I did I’m sorry  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** **Today** 6:43 AM  
I meant to say thanks for the drink last night. It was nice.  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** **Today** 7:18 AM  
Hope you have a good day  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** **Today** 7:21 AM  
I miss you  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered**  
**Today** 7:23 AM  
I’m sorry.  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered**  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	21. Episode 9, Part II - Different But Same

Almost Friend  
  
**Today** 12:20 AM  
hey  
  
**Today** 12:38 AM  
Prodigal son returns.  
  
jsut hear me out  
  
No, you know what? You don’t get to treat me like that and expect me to be okay with it.  
  
I don’t care if you don’t think we’re friends, because we are, and I have no way of knowing that you’re okay unless you tell me. Do you know how worried I was?  
  
jeez mom can u relax im fin e  
  
You blocked me for almost four days, what the hell was I supposed to think?  
  
look im. dealign w smn rihgt now and its alot a nd i dont know ho w to deal w it so can u jus,t back off  
  
You can talk to me about stuff that’s bothering you, you know that  
  
no this is differen,t  
  
How is it different? Come on, this is what we do  
  
it just is ok i said back the fuvk off  
  
Why the hell do you have to be such a dick? I’m trying to help you and all you wanna do is shut me down  
  
ur not listenign to me im telling u that u dont want to hear this os just. stop askin g  
  
Can you at least tell me why you blocked me?  
  
Was it something I said?  
  
If I hurt you I’m sorry, okay?  
  
I just worry about you  
  
god dont start w tahjt  
  
that  
  
With what?  
  
ur fukcning  
  
”i miss u” n “i worry about u” just  
  
knoc,k it off  
  
What the hell’s gotten into you?  
  
oh im FINE im gr eat  
  
today was going good n tgen it just turned into a complvte fukicng nightmar.e so  
  
i couldnt b better  
  
Yeah, we all have shitty days. I don’t come and take it out on you.  
  
**Today** 1:14 AM  
Okay, you know what  
  
I thought I could make this work, but I can't  
  
What the hell are you talking about?  
  
I know who you are, Daniel.  
  
I can’t do this anymore.  
  
I’m sorry.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tags say angst with a happy ending so i am once again asking u to trust in me as a writer
> 
> heres the [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4RfbWlJwcjOfAzUtwbbciA?si=dz1wG67kSdiHJoDWOb-cbg) i listen to while writing, as an extra apology


	22. Episode 10, Part I - Mercy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (i know said 23 chapters earlier but i think we're going to round off at 25)

Almost Friend  
  
**Today** 1:18 AM  
You saw me at the bar.  
  
**Today** 1:20 AM  
You told me you wouldn't.  
  
**Today** 2:38 AM  
I can’t believe I actually gave a shit about you.  
  
I can’t believe I thought you gave a shit about me.  
  
**Today** 7:44 AM  
I know you're getting these messages, asshole  
  
This whole stupid "no details" thing was YOUR goddamn idea, and now you're mad about how it worked out?  
  
**Today** 7:53 AM  
I trusted you. The least you can do is tell me why you did it.  
  
**Today** 8:12 AM  
What, you were so disappointed that I wasn't someone else so now you can't even talk to me like a fucking adult?  
  
**Today** 10:56 AM  
...Johnny?  
  
This is you, isn't it?  
  
**Today** 10:59 AM  
dont ever fuckign talk to me again.  
  
**Today** 11:00 AM  
Oh, I won't.  
  
And I'm happy to fucking do it.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (prose next chapter! happy ending guys theres a happy ending i PROMISE)


	23. Episode 10, Part II - Mercy

The kids file off to the locker rooms, black gis in their hands instead of the usual white, and Johnny finally lets himself look at the big blown-up picture of Daniel Larusso hanging amongst the other winners’ banners. It’s in black and white, and in it, he’s lining up to take that illegal shot to Johnny’s face, arms raised over his head, standing on one leg without wobbling.

Johnny remembers seeing him across the mat like that, shifting into this stance that looks like the stupidest thing in the world. Johnny remembers feeling angry. He remembers thinking that the tournament should be over by now, he should be holding the trophy and Daniel should have been long gone; instead they’re here, about to see this thing to the end, and LaRusso is staring at him dead in the eyes like the only way he’s going to leave this arena is with the trophy or not at all.

He remembers hating Daniel LaRusso in that moment more than he’s ever hated anyone else.

Even now, looking up at that poster, at the way his hair falls over his headband, the way his square chin is tucked, the way his eyes are wide like he doesn’t really believe what he’s doing either, Johnny feels like he hates Daniel more than anything else in the world, and _that_ is saying something.

He sees himself on the ‘83 champion banner, younger, feet planted firmly apart, forearm blocking a kick. In a few moments Kreese would roar from the sidelines to _Finish him, Lawrence!_ and Johnny would do it. He'd grab the poor guy by the ankle and use his own momentum to flip him onto his back, then strike him in the neck to snatch the last point. The Cobras would cheer and raise Johnny up onto their shoulders like he was someone important, like he _mattered_.

He stares at his own face at sixteen years old, wide-eyed, chin tucked, hair falling over his headband, and he hates _himself_.

Johnny digs the heels of his palms into his eyes. He heads to the locker rooms and swaps out his jeans for his gi. He doesn’t look at himself in the mirror as he walks past it.

The kids are lining up, cutting an intimidating wall of black and stern jaws as they wait for Cobra Kai to be announced. They’re not talking to each other, just staring straight ahead, shaking out their wrists and rolling their shoulders.

Johnny wants to say something reassuring, maybe take some of the pressure off, but is that what he’s taught them? No mercy, he’d said, and he knows these kids get it. If they’re anything like he was, it’s all nerves until they hit the mat, and then the fighting comes as easy as walking, the adrenaline as heady as liquor. They’ll be fine.

Miguel glances at Johnny, and frowns a little.

 _You okay?_ he mouths.

Johnny nods. _Go get ‘em._

“From Reseda,” comes the booming announcer’s voice over the speakers, and Johnny’s heart jumps to his throat as he nudges Miguel forward, “returning to the tournament, we have - “

❖

“COBRA KAI, COBRA KAI, COBRA KAI!”

Daniel’s stomach twists at the sight of them jogging out of the locker rooms, all unearned bravado and brash self-assurance, Johnny bringing up the rear. He catches Johnny’s eye, and Johnny stares at him for a long, terse moment, like he’s about to say something. Before he can, though, Daniel looks away.

Last night had brought with it a blinding lack of sleep, Daniel too busy reading and rereading every message they’ve exchanged over the past several months and feeling more and more sick (for lack of a better word) knowing now who he’s been talking to. He blames himself for the group of kids standing at ease with an anger flashing in their eyes that doesn’t belong there. He blames himself for thinking good things stay that way.

“And finally, fighting unaffiliated from North Hills, we have Mr Robby Keene!”

Johnny looks about as shocked as Daniel feels.

Robby is jogging out onto the mats, his gi a little bit too big on him, hair pulled back away from his face. His expression is unreadable, carefully blank, but as he passes the Cobra Kais, he gives his dad a little smirk that Daniel, despite his surprise, can’t help but feel a tiny flash of sadistic smugness at. 

“I didn’t know he was fighting,” murmurs Amanda.

Daniel sucks in a sharp breath. “Neither did I.”

She finds his hand and squeezes it.

❖

The first match of Cobra Kai is Miguel versus some punk from All Star Karate. Miguel keeps glancing over at the LaRusso girl, and Johnny is trying so fucking hard to pretend Daniel doesn’t exist. Which is almost impossible, because he can literally feel Daniel staring at him like he’s trying to explode Johnny’s head telepathically or something.

Annoyed, he grabs Miguel’s shoulder. “You remember that kick I showed you? The one we got off YouTube?” Miguel nods. “Time to pull it out.”

He stares LaRusso down as the ref gets them into fighting positions, and _god_ , the look on Daniel’s face when Miguel shifts into the crane stance is something that Johnny will cherish until the end of time.

❖

The kid goes down in one hit, foot to the face, no fuss. Daniel can’t even look at Diaz when he lands it. He hears it instead; the pause in the arena like the crowd is holding its breath and the uproar when Diaz makes contact. The All Star kid’s sleeve is splattered with a darker red than the rest of his gi where he'd pressed it to his nose.

That kick wasn’t Johnny’s to teach, to wield as something other than a last resort, to use as something other than self-defense. It was Daniel’s kick, it was _Mr Miyagi’s kick_ , and it didn’t belong somewhere that taught no mercy. 

“All Star?” snickers Anthony, gearing up to make the joke he’s made every year for the past seven years, “more like _Fall_ Star. ”

Sam elbows him to be quiet. Any other day, Daniel would’ve laughed.

“I can’t believe he stole your move,” she whispers, and Daniel glances up just as Johnny’s lips quirk up into a tight smile.

Thirty four years, and all Johnny knows is how to hit Daniel where it hurts.

❖

A small part of Johnny feels guilty.

It disappears, though, when LaRusso meets his eye and returns his corrosive grin, the hurt in his eyes replaced by something else. Something cold.

Johnny looks away. Tries not to think about why that makes him feel like his skin is crawling.

❖

Robby, surprisingly, manages to hold his own. Amanda watches him, and she watches Daniel watch him.

Daniel’s hands are clenched to white knuckles in his lap, and he’s muttering encouragement under his breath, as if Robby can hear him.

He wins his first fight, and Daniel is practically bursting out of his seat, shoulders tight with nervous energy.

It’s good to see him like this, finally interested in something that isn’t being angry or being hurt. He won’t talk to her about it, but she knows he’s been acting differently lately.

At first, she’d assumed it was because of the talk they’d had, about taking time apart, but he was the one who’d brought it up. And yeah, they’d both been kind of upset after it, sure, but all things considered, it was the right direction to go in.

She kind of had the feeling that whatever it was, it had something to do with Robby and Johnny.

She also had the feeling that Daniel probably wasn’t all that innocent in it.

For all his talk of Johnny Lawrence being a bully, Daniel wasn’t exactly the type to stay quiet and let himself get pushed around. If one set the bait, the other rose to it. If one poured the gasoline, the other lit the match. If Johnny was stepping up for a fight, Daniel was there, always there, meeting him halfway. Amanda wasn’t a fan of what Johnny brought out in him, honestly.

But Robby? Robby had been good for Daniel. He had been just as eager to learn as Daniel had been to teach, and when she saw them training together every now and then, she knew they had something important together.

(Never mind that Robby’s presence brought the kind of relief that only came with the knowledge that your ex husband would finally stop offering to join you at spin class, just so he could cash in an hour or so of sparring with you.)

“You should go talk to him,” she says quietly, and Daniel pulls his lower lip into his mouth. She doesn’t know what he’s thinking, and sometimes she wishes she did.

Other times she wishes he'd just go to therapy.

Daniel says nothing, just keeps his eyes on Robby. Amanda sighs, and steals some popcorn from Anthony’s bucket when he isn’t looking.

She catches Johnny staring at Daniel more times than she can count.

(Thirteen.)

❖

There’s a break between the qualifiers and the quarter-finals. Miguel, Aisha, and Hawk made it through, just like Johnny knew they would. They’re doing stretches and drinking water, and the other kids are psyching them up.

LaRusso gets up and storms off somewhere about five minutes in. Johnny sees him go out of the corner of his eye. He walks like he’s got a stick up his ass. He doesn’t come back.

Johnny has half a mind to follow him, to see what the shrimpy fucking twerp is up to (because he’s _always_ up to something, always causing trouble like he’s paid to do it), then he remembers.

_dont fuckign talk to me again._

_Oh, I won’t._ _And I’m happy to fucking do it._

He watches LaRusso’s wife go after him ( _ex-_ wife, he corrects, with some amount of incredulity) (when did they even get divorced?). She looks worried.

Johnny’s chest hurts.

“Sensei?” comes Aisha’s voice just then, the word curved with concern. “is -”

❖

“- Everything okay?”

Daniel is sitting on one of the benches, and his head is in his hands. He looks up at Amanda, and his face is twisted like he’s trying not to cry.

Amanda doesn’t know what’s got him like this, and for the first time she’s a little bit scared. Daniel isn’t a crier. She’s been with him twenty years and she’s only seen him cry _twice_ : once when Sam was born, once when Mr Miyagi died.

He’s joked about it in the past, something about how the Jersey stock he’s made of means that he’s only got room for being tough, but it can’t seriously be good for him.

( _When you’re born on the East coast they weld your tear ducts shut so it doesn’t get in the way,_ he'd explained seriously.

 _Get in the way of what?_ Sam, five years old, had asked.

 _Of being super cool,_ Daniel had replied with a grin, and Sam had laughed.)

It just makes this moment right now even more awful.

“Daniel,” she says helplessly, because she doesn’t know what else to say. A choked-off noise punches out of his throat, because apparently, he doesn’t know what to say, either.

His jaw works like he’s trying to swallow the thing that’s bothering him instead of talking about it, and she can see in his eyes that whatever it is, it’s hurting him.

She pulls him into a hug, and his shoulders are shaking. He leans into her without hugging back.

Daryl’s voice over the PA system announces that there’s five minutes left on the break.

“I’ll drive you home?” she asks quietly.

He shakes his head slowly. “Robby,” he mumbles, and the rest goes unspoken. _I need to be there for him._

Amanda sighs. There he goes again. Putting everyone else before him. Ever the self-sacrificing hero, the one to fall on the sword so nobody else has to. This, at least, is a Daniel she can recognize, if also a Daniel she doesn’t exactly approve of.

She holds him a little bit tighter and nods. “Okay.”

❖

“That’s three points, Keene!” The ref grabs Robby’s wrist and raises it. “Winner!”

Robby looks over his shoulder, at the crowd, at his dad, surrounded by those stupid Cobra Kais. He glares until his dad looks away.

He glances at Mr LaRusso, who gives him a little nod, and in his chest is a surge of relief that very nearly knocks him backwards.

Does that mean Mr LaRusso’s forgiven him? When he got up and left earlier, Robby didn’t know whether he was coming back. He wouldn’t have dropped out of the tournament or anything if Mr LaRusso had gone for good, if he felt like Robby wasn’t worth hanging around for (Robby’s used to that by now), but still. It would’ve really sucked.

He wants to go over and ask how he’s doing, if his form is okay, if there’s anything he needs to be focusing on. He wants to go over and apologize. He wants to explain everything, that yeah, it had started off as a way to get back at his dad, but it had become so much more than that. _I’m not that kind of person anymore. I want to be better._

He doesn’t do any of it. Now isn’t exactly the time.

He plays it cool, and nods back.

❖

Miguel advances to the finals easily.

Johnny’s praying that Robby won’t.

❖

“He’s not focused,” murmurs Daniel. The score is 1-0, to some kid named Hawk (is that really his legal name?), and Robby looks like he can’t believe what just happened.

Daniel gets to his feet and cups his hands around his mouth. “Robby!” he shouts, and Robby’s eyes snap to him, “remember what - “

❖

“- You learned!”

Johnny’s head turns to the sound of LaRusso’s voice at the same time that Robby does. At his words, Robby nods, some unspoken thing passing between them (student and _fucking_ sensei), and Johnny stares as Robby closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

The hard edges leave his face for a brief moment, and he reminds Johnny sharply of that night he’d run into LaRusso at Dylan’s, when LaRusso had looked at Ramona and tapped his knuckles on the bar. _Tell him I said thanks?_ It was like he was taking his anger and putting it in a box and breathing around it. It felt like a million years ago. Johnny’s always wondered why he does that, as if anger isn’t something useful.

There’s a strange calm to the set of Robby’s jaw and the stance of his feet when he opens his eyes again.

The next round begins, and Hawk charges in, but Robby matches him block for block, strike for strike, like he’s been doing karate his whole life. He’s a natural.

(Of course he is.)

When Robby gets the next point, Johnny feels sick.

❖

Hawk can’t lose this. He won’t.

_You do whatever it takes to keep pushing forward._

Keene’s back is turned.

_You do whatever it takes to win._

Fuck this guy. Fuck this guy and fuck everyone who’s ever thought that he wasn’t good enough.

_Whatever it takes._

His lip curls into a snarl.

_No mercy._

❖

_CRACK!_

❖

Johnny’s running over to Robby, dropping to his knees beside him, and Daniel’s chest clenches at the sight.

He doesn’t want to think about why.

❖

“Disqualified!"

❖

Miguel frowns at Sensei Lawrence as the ref shoves him back into their corner. He’s been off all week, but that could be for any number of reasons. He glances at his family, and his mom blows him a kiss. He smiles a little bit in return.

He'd tried to talk to Sam, but she still won’t even look at him. It had hurt.

 _Picture your enemy,_ says Sensei Lawrence in the back of his mind. _Punch like the guy you really wanna hit is standing behind this asshole._

He’ll win. He’ll kick Robby’s ass in the finals, and then she’ll see. Then she’ll want him back.

Miguel isn’t looking forward to ending up like Sensei did in ‘84, much as he'd rather not admit it. Coming in second place _and_ his girl getting snatched up by some random guy? Yeesh. No wonder the guy’s so freaking grouchy all the time.

He shakes his head and gets working on some more stretches. He’s going to win. He’s going to do this, and Sam’s gonna want him back. 

(Right?)

❖

_I’m sorry I lied to you, Mr LaRusso. I just wanted to get back at him._

Daniel knows how much Johnny loves this kid. Both from his own experience as a dad, and because, well, Johnny’s told him so.

(Obviously at the time, Daniel hadn’t known that it was Johnny, but still.)

In the almost clinical white light of the locker rooms, Robby’s head bowed slightly as he holds an ice pack to his shoulder, Daniel can see the similarities.

He wonders if Johnny would have turned out different, more like Robby, perhaps, if he’d had a different sensei back in the day. He wonders if that version of Johnny was a person with whom he could’ve gotten along.

( _You’ve gotten along fine with this version of Johnny,_ a little voice in his head reminds him. He ignores that like his life depends on it.)

“You don’t have to fight,” says Daniel quietly.

“Yes I do,” says Robby. No hesitation, brokering no argument, just like Daniel knew he would. “I’ll have to face him at some point. Might as well be today.”

❖

Daryl’s riding the high off of the energy coming from the crowd. It is barely contained and feels fucking electric. The lights in the arena are dimmed, and there’s a spotlight on the finals bracket.

George will tell him later that the massive turnout this year is because he kept promoting the tournament up in the country club, but Daryl knows it’s pretty much only because of the mats. People kept coming up to him earlier to tell him that the gold on blue looked good. _Let’s see your dumbass country club friends do that, George,_ thinks Daryl smugly.

He’s about to kick off the final match - Diaz from Cobra Kai (for whom he initially hadn’t held out much hope, until he saw the kid pull off a crane kick to perfection and absolutely _own_ that poor guy from All Star) and Keene from, well, nowhere - when Annette runs up to him and cuts him off.

“Daniel says he’s gonna coach Robby Keene,” she whispers, and Daryl’s eyes go wide. He knows there’s some kind of bad blood between Daniel and the sensei from Cobra Kai, but this new development just made things _interesting._

“Daniel LaRusso’s - ”

❖

“ - gonna coach?”

Johnny’s stomach drops. He is seventeen years old again, and his life is about to be ruined.

_Daniel LaRusso’s gonna fight?_

The announcer grins. “Daniel LaRusso’s gonna coach!” he bellows.

_Daniel LaRusso’s gonna fight!_

The bleachers erupt into thunderous cheers. 

Thirty four years, and all Daniel knows is how to hit Johnny where it hurts.

❖

Daniel’s rolling up his sleeves and smiling with the corner of his mouth, standing in Robby’s corner.

He’s tired, but for the first time in days, he feels _good_. This is who he is. This is where he’s supposed to be. He knows winning isn’t important. All he wants, really, is for Robby to get to the other end of this fight with no lasting damage.

(It’s a little unsettling, honestly, how close to home this tournament is hitting. Same final tournament, same gis on either side of the mat - just thirty odd years apart.)

Daniel is kind of nervous to be doing this. He’s never exactly done it before - coached a karate match, that is. But hey, he’s coached at plenty of Anthony’s peewee soccer games before, so this can’t be all that different, right?

Whatever. He’s here for Robby. That’s all that matters.

The look on Johnny’s face when Daryl announces that Robby is going to be fighting for Miyagi-Do Karate is something that Daniel will cherish until the end of time - but that’s besides the point.

❖

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Coaching my student. Somebody needs to be there for him.”

“You think this is funny?”

“You see me laughing?”

“You’re gonna regret this when it’s over.”

“Yeah, right. Like this’ll ever be over.”

❖

Miguel punches the mat and lets out a scream of frustration when the Keene boy takes the first point.

The longer this goes on, Carmen finds that she recognizes him less and less. She tries not to let it get to her.

Besides, Johnny had promised he would be okay, right? Sure, he might be a little out of touch with things, and a little bit of a drunk, but he’s trying his best, and Carmen admires that. She reminds herself: Johnny wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him.

She just hopes that Miguel, _her_ Miguel, will come out of this alright.

❖

Miguel strikes Robby’s injured shoulder and Robby goes down, face contorted, eyes squeezed shut.

Daniel is pushing up out of his corner, brows drawn. He’s making a T-shape with his hands (or is that an L? Is it a box? Whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it badly) and he’s kneeling down beside Robby. Talking to him in his low, measured voice. Reassuring him.

Johnny’s throat is tight. He can’t look away from them. He thinks, _That should be me with Robby, not you._

A small part of him, the part that’s managed to process the fact that Johnny’s biggest rival probably knows him better than anyone else in the world, thinks that Daniel definitely does the pep talk thing better than he ever could.

He knows, because he’s been on the receiving end of so many, over the past few months, so many that he’s lost count; that he doesn’t know where he'd be right now without them.

The stubborn determination in Robby’s eyes when he gets back up is so distinctly _Daniel_ that it might as well have come straight out of Jersey.

The sight of it hurts.

❖

“Starting positions!” calls the ref. Daniel’s stomach is in knots.

_Block, block, twist, come on, Robby, you got this, you -_

❖

_\- Got this, Miguel, you’re almost there. You can do it, just -_

❖

_\- Focus. Focus, yeah, that’s it, come on -_

❖

_\- Don’t let him go, come on - wait what’s -_

❖

_\- he doing? Robby, don’t stay down, kid, get up, what are you - oh my god._

❖

_What the hell?_

❖

_Oh my GOD_

❖

_What the HELL_

❖

_HE DID IT_

❖

_WHAT THE HELL_

❖

“How about that? A _two-legged kick_ _!"_

❖

Robby comes over to help him up.

Miguel glares into his face, and he feels like he’s never hated someone more in his life.

_No mercy._

He grabs Robby’s limp wrist and _pulls._

❖

Daniel wants this to be over. He wants to get Robby out of here.

“Warning for unsportsmanlike contact!” says the ref, brow stern, and _Daniel wants out._ He knows how this fight’s going to end, he’s lived this exact same fucking tournament, and he’s not about to put someone through that pain again. The trophy just isn’t worth it.

“No, _please_ ,” says Robby when Daniel tells him that he’s going to call off the fight. “I have to finish this.”

In that moment, he feels a wave of sympathy for Mr Miyagi. Who knows how he ever put up with the likes of Daniel, who just _had_ to see his fights through, even if it got him beat within an inch of his life? If this keeps up, Daniel might just be on his way to premature graying and some kind of blood pressure thing.

He sighs, and relents.

❖

“There’s nothing dirty about winning, Sensei. You taught me that. Don’t worry. I got this. No mercy.”

Every word feels like a punch to the gut.

Johnny feels like he can’t breathe.

❖

When it’s over, Mr LaRusso is pulling Robby into his arms and smiling at him. Robby frowns, black spots of pain dancing in front of his eyes.

“They won,” he mumbles.

Mr LaRusso shrugs. “So did you.”

“Not really, though.”

“You did everything I taught you. And some stuff I didn’t,” he adds, one eyebrow raised.

Robby cracks a tiny smile that he’s certain looks more like a wince than anything. “That kick _was_ pretty cool, huh?”

Mr LaRusso laughs. “It was _awesome_.” He puts his hand on Robby’s good shoulder. “I’m so proud of you.”

Well. Robby is _insanely_ pleased to hear that.

“I guess I did kinda win,” Robby says, once he’s mostly recovered from hearing the words _I’m so proud of you_ for the first time in ages. “Emotionally or whatever.”

That earns him a snort from Mr LaRusso. “ _Or whatever_ , he says. Come on. Let’s get you some ice.”

❖

They did it. 

They’ve won.

The crowd is chanting _CO-BRA-KAI!_ along with his students, and it’s all he’s dreamed of for almost a year. He’s got the giant elaborate trophy in hand to prove it.

So why does winning feel so much like _not_ winning?

Johnny sees a flash of white gi and blue shirt (different blue than last time, but blue all the same). “Robby!” he calls. They both turn around. Johnny can only bear to look at one of them.

Robby doesn’t seem angry, or irritated, or even upset that he’s lost. A pull behind his ribs reminds him that that’s thanks to Daniel. _Teach your kids how to lose,_ he’d advised all those months ago. _Prepare them for every outcome so they won’t blame themselves if things don’t go the way they want._

It seemed stupid then. It doesn’t seem so stupid now.

“I’m sorry,” he says, and his voice wavers a little. _For everything. For all of it. I’m sorry._

He probably owes LaRusso an apology too, but there’s no way in hell that he’s giving it. LaRusso would’ve reacted the exact same way if he'd found out first. He probably would’ve made it even worse.

( _No, he wouldn’t have,_ that same small part of him thinks, but he doesn’t want to poke at _that_ thought at all.)

Robby nods a little, like he understands the things Johnny doesn’t say. “It’s okay, Dad.”

“Oh.” Johnny’s eyes go wide. “It’s okay,” he echoes dully, without even really realizing he’s doing it, and he ducks his head, because Robby forgiving him just as easily as breathing is definitive proof that Daniel’s better at this than he ever will be.

Robby turns to Daniel. His voice is quiet. “Let’s go, Mr LaRusso.” He walks away.

There’s a sting in Johnny’s eyes that comes out of _nowhere_ , and Jesus fucking Christ, why does winning have to hurt like this? Why does winning have to hurt at all?

(Johnny doesn’t let himself think about the fact that if Daniel had found out first, maybe they wouldn’t be here right now.

Maybe they’d still be friends.)

❖

“You got what you wanted, Johnny. You won,” says Daniel with a sigh. “Congratulations.” He means it. He’s not mad. Or maybe he is, and he just doesn’t have the energy for it.

Daniel looks at Johnny, and his chest is tight.

 _I know you,_ he thinks numbly. _You know me._

He feels tired.

As they’re leaving, Daniel knows Johnny is still watching them. Still watching _him_. He can feel it.

He doesn’t look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> taking a break from posting tmr because it took me five hours to write and edit this chapter and i feel like if i look at a computer screen again my brain might melt <3
> 
> anyway i hope u enjoyed this, and ill see u guys on wednesday!


	24. Episode 11, Part I - With A Little Help From My Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i know what i said but i literally cant help myself. part 2 later today

Bobby (Jesus' Best Friend)  
  
**Today** 9:18 AM  
Are you okay?  
  
**Today** 9:20 AM  
ya why  
  
I have six missed calls and two fifteen-minute voicemails from you  
  
I didn’t even know you could leave voicemails that long anymore  
  
oh those  
  
yeah its nothin man dw abt it  
  
did u listen to the voicemails  
  
John, it’s Sunday. I was in the middle of a sermon.  
  
good they were mostly a lot of yelling and some crying lol  
  
not me obviously i was just standing next to someone who was yelling and crying  
  
...Sure  
  
You know, if you needed help, you could have called someone else?  
  
who else do i call  
  
I don’t know, Jimmy, Tommy - any of the guys?  
  
they cant help me w this  
  
AHA. So it wasn’t nothing.  
  
wh  
  
damn howd u do that  
  
I'm just talented that way  
  
Is everything okay, Johnny?  
  
Do you want to come by and talk about it? We can go to that diner you like.  
  
dont rly wanna go anywhere today  
  
migraine  
  
Okay  
  
Should I call?  
  
its just easier for me to say this not out loud  
  
I understand  
  
So what’s on your mind?  
  
u remember that kid in high school  
  
daniel larusso  
  
That guy you wouldn't quit whaling on? Sure, I remember him.  
  
hey u guys whaled on him too  
  
Not as much as you did  
  
u dislocated his knee  
  
Yes, and I apologized for it thirty years ago.  
  
what  
  
Yeah. I quit the dojo, went to his house to apologize, and his mom asked me to stay for dinner.  
  
WHAT THE HELL BOBBY  
  
I thought you knew about it! Tommy was with me, you can ask him.  
  
WOW  
  
truth comes out and the gloves come off huh PASTOR  
  
Shut up  
  
So, Daniel. He's a car guy now, right? LaRusso Auto?  
  
yeah thats the one  
  
Yeah, I've seen the billboard in Tarzana  
  
What about him?  
  
ok this is a little bit of a weird story but just listen  
  
Come on, it can’t be that weird.  
  
Lay it on me  
  
well so one day im just at home watching iron eagle right  
  
and i get this text from this number that i dont know  
  



	25. Episode 11, Part II - With A Little Help From My Friends

Bobby (Jesus' Best Friend)  
  
but miguel won and daniel and robby didnt seem mad at me about it but im pretty sure that they were because if i was daniel and i lost the tournament to me id be really mad at me and i wouldnt even go through the trouble of hiding it u know? and yeah i guess u could say this whole thing is my fault for spray painting a dick on his face but he deserved it so im pretty sure im the victim here  
  
...You weren’t kidding when you said weird huh  
  
told u so  
  
Are you done  
  
yes  
  
oh no wait im not  
  
Thank God  
  
OH COME ON ITS BEEN TWO HOURS  
  
shut up this is important!!!  
  
so get this u know that guy that i was texting that i somehow became friends w??  
  
Was he Daniel?  
  
he was daniel the whole time!!  
  
wait WHAT HOW DID U KNOW THAT  
  
did i?? tell u already????  
  
No, but based on your story it seems like a reasonable conclusion  
  
Plus I've seen movies, so  
  
wtf  
  
its not the ONLY reasonable conclusion  
  
Yes it is  
  
is not  
  
Is too  
  
IS NOT  
  
Is TOO, and the part I can’t believe is that it took you THAT LONG to connect the dots  
  
Like, what, you didn’t even get a little bit suspicious of how everything was lining up for you guys?  
  
Or were you so caught up in the euphoria of making friends as an adult that you just let all of those signs go right over your head?  
  
i dont think jesus would b cool w this straight up bullying ur engaging in  
  
Jesus would cut me some slack because he knows what a pain in the ass you are  
  
i knew i shouldve fuckin gone to jimmy he would never treat me like this  
  
Text him next time then  
  
fine i WILL  
  
No you won’t  
  
...yeah ur right i wont im not abt to take advice from an accountant lol  
  
You know something, I’m still not sure I get what your problem is?  
  
Cobra Kai won because of you  
  
Isn’t that what you wanted?  
  
yeah  
  
i should be happy  
  
but im not  
  
and i hate it  
  
Okay  
  
I'm going to make a guess here, and I just need you to keep an open mind about it, alright?  
  
no promises  
  
Do you think you wanted to win the Tournament to stick it to Daniel  
  
But you can't enjoy it because you care about him, so hurting him hurts you?  
  
thats. a lotta assumptions there b town  
  
Don't call me B town  
  
oh so when dutch called u b town it was fine but when i do it u suddenly have a problem??  
  
He did it once and that time he was literally getting arrested  
  
wow the double standards i swear  
  
Do you miss him?  
  
dutch?  
  
sometimes but like, dude was seriously unhinged. remember that time w the golf cart in the country club? that was insane  
  
I MEANT DANIEL. DO YOU MISS DANIEL.  
  
oh  
  
yeah, sorta  
  
i dont miss him specifically, i miss talking to someone like that  
  
but do i want him back? no  
  
Is missing someone different from wanting them back?  
  
yeah like  
  
when u miss someone ur u know  
  
aware that theyre gone  
  
doesnt mean u want them to come back  
  
Fair enough  
  
Why don’t you want him back?  
  
idk. it was easier to talk to him when i didnt know who he was  
  
like i found out  
  
and i tried not to freak out  
  
but its like i cant look past it  
  
and he used to say this stuff sometimes that now i dont know how im supposed to believe  
  
bc hes him and im me and we dont get along thats just how its always been  
  
What kind of stuff?  
  
like  
  
like he worried abt me and he called me out when i was being dumb and idk  
  
he talked to me like i mattered  
  
and it was nice i guess  
  
So you do care about him  
  
idk  
  
i used to  
  
like whoever ive been talking to, i guess i gave a shit abt that guy. i dont care abt larusso  
  
That guy IS Daniel  
  
It's always been him  
  
Why does knowing that have to make how you feel any different?  
  
bc daniel ruined my fucking life  
  
friends dont do that. the guy i talked to, he wouldnt have done that.  
  
daniel ruined it back then and this year all hes done is ruin it even more  
  
but i didnt let him win  
  
i did it. i won. cobra kai won  
  
even though all he did was keep trying to fuck me over  
  
and now for whatever reason i cant even fucking enjoy it  
  
Okay, listen to me, John. For everything you've been through, I really am sorry. You didn't deserve it back then, and you don't deserve it now.  
  
And you and Daniel... I get that it's complicated. I don't want to condone the things he did, but it's not like you could ever leave well enough alone, either.  
  
the hell is that supposed to mean  
  
It means he didn't just pick fights with you out of nowhere  
  
are u really taking his side right now  
  
I'm not taking sides. I'm just telling you like it is.  
  
You opened up to someone and you got hurt. So did he.  
  
But the fact that you were able to talk to him for almost a whole year means you CAN get along, if you just let the past be the past.  
  
Honestly, you two are more alike than you realize. The sooner you stop thinking that's a bad thing, the better off you'll be.  
  
ok  
  
counterpoint: what if i dont wanna do that  
  
Die mad I guess  
  
damn :/  
  
Look, Daniel's probably as upset as you are.  
  
Just... go talk to him.  
  
pls no  
  
i dont want to talk to him man i NEVER want to talk to people i have problems with so can u PLEASE stop suggesting that every time i come to u for advice  
  
🤷 If it ain’t broke  
  
BOBBY  
  
I’m not saying you have to go and grovel to the guy or anything  
  
Just go talk. Start with an apology, go from there.  
  
why am i apologizing  
  
Because you hurt him???  
  
ugh  
  
I know you don't want to. And I know it's gonna be harder for you now than it was for me back then.  
  
But I promise, when you do, it gets easier to look yourself in the eye again. That has to count for something.  
  
**Today** 12:02 PM  
what if he says no  
  
What do you mean?  
  
what if he doesnt want to forgive me  
  
That's up to him. You just do what you need to do.  
  
ugh  
  
fine fine  
  
ill talk to him  
  
let the record show that im not happy about this AT ALL  
  
Don't worry, you will be  
  
Take care of yourself, Johnny. Let me know how it goes.  
  
i will  
  
thx  
  
b town :)  
  
bobby dont be mad  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** wait wtf  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** DID U BLOCK ME  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered** PUSSY  
  
**⚠ Not Delivered**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank god for bobby brown 🙏


	26. Episode 12, Part I - New Person, Same Old Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three weeks after the All Valley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> skjdfgb sorry for the accidental break?? i wasnt rly stoked about how this chapter was turning out, so i ended up procrastinating on writing it, then i took a couple days to rewrite and i feel a LOT better about it. i hope ur all keeping safe, and i hope u enjoy this!

Johnny Lawrence  
  
**Today** 9:52 PM  
hey where are u  
  
can we talk  
  
**Today** 9:59 PM  
larusso i know ur getting these ok i know about the blue ticks  
  
tell me where u are  
  
Fuck off.  
  
come on  
  
I said fuck off, Johnny.  
  
I’m done talking to you. I’m done with you.  
  
well im not done with u  
  
so quit being an asshole and tell me where to pick u up  
  
**Today** 10:04 PM  
How long is this gonna take  
  
ten minutes tops  
  
Fine.  
  
I’m at work.  
  
k  
  
bcnu  
  
**Today** 10:13 PM  
here  
  
Ok  
  


Johnny, leaning against the hood of his car, sees LaRusso stepping out of the glass double doors of the dealership. It’s dark. He looks… smaller. Less intimidating than Johnny had had him built up inside his head. He isn’t wearing his suit jacket, and his sleeves are rolled to his elbows. His hands are tight fists at his sides.

As he comes closer, Johnny picks out dark circles under his eyes, a hard set to his jaw, a tiredness pulling his shoulders down like his own personal gravity.

He feels guilty, but then again, he hasn’t been feeling much else lately.

LaRusso stares him down easily, anger flashing behind his eyes. “ _What_ ,” he demands, “ _the hell do you want._ ”

“Get in the car,” he replies quietly.

“No.”

“Come on. I don’t want to do this in your parking lot.”

“No. What’s so important that you can’t fucking tell me here?”

It'd be so easy to pick a fight with him. So _fucking_ easy, and all that anger is right there underneath Johnny's skin and he thinks, _If I threw a kick right now, I bet he'd be so goddamn surprised._

Weirdly, though, he doesn't want to.

For the first time since the All Valley, maybe the first time in _forever,_ Johnny doesn't want to kill him. Especially not when he looks like this, some strange mix of exhausted and bone-deep mad, like all his years are catching up to him tonight.

Johnny actually kinda wants to buy him a drink. Or something. Maybe.

“Daniel,” Johnny says slowly, because he just wants this to be over, he just wants to be _done._ “Daniel, _please_.”

And that seems to do the trick, the one-two punch to bring it home; LaRusso’s eyes go wide, and he takes a step back.

Johnny knows LaRusso is relenting before the words come out of his mouth; he can see it in the way that LaRusso deflates so very slightly, blows out a breath through his teeth. He watches him walk to the passenger side of the car and climb in without protest, and he doesn't miss the way that LaRusso slams the door shut behind him.

They drive in silence. Johnny can’t bring himself to play any music, so he doesn’t. He keeps picking at the grip on the steering wheel and sneaking glances at LaRusso out of the corner of his eye.

LaRusso, for his part, just sits and stares out the window, arms folded over his chest, bouncing one knee absently.

(Johnny wonders if that’s _the_ knee.)

A few moments later and his voice punctures through the quiet. “Where are we going?” he asks in the same voice that someone would use to read out a phone book.

Johnny changes gears smoothly from first to second. “I’d say trust me, but that might just bite me in the ass,” he replies, trying to lighten the mood with some gentle ribbing, but instantly he knows he’s fucked up. As if to confirm this, LaRusso levels a glare at him, a bland smile tightening his mouth, his eyes blank and furious.

The rest of the ride is an impressive display of putting the ‘mute’ in ‘commute’.

Johnny pulls into an empty lot, a couple minutes’ walk from Topanga Canyon Beach. He kills the engine, and with the absence of the noise, he notices that his heart is beating at a tempo in his chest that’s starting to feel unbearable. Either his ribcage somehow got way too tight on the drive over here, or his lungs just can’t breathe deep enough to make him feel normal. Is this what a stroke feels like?

He leads the way to the shore, feet sinking a little in the cooling sand, and he knows LaRusso is behind him - instinctively, more than anything. The beach is empty at this hour, and the tide is swelling black in the dull glow of the moon. Johnny’s been here dozens of times before, but tonight is different. He can’t seem to stay calm.

He sits down, right there in the sand, legs sprawled out in front of him, staring at the sea. LaRusso does the same, looking at him expectantly, incredulously, and maybe a little like his patience is starting to wear thin. Now would be the moment that Johnny talks.

Unfortunately, there's not a single coherent thought in his head, or an iota of the courage he'd manage to scrounge up over the past few weeks since his talk with Bobby. So he cracks his knuckles while he waits for his resolve to come back to him. Johnny works methodically, from the join of his fingers to his palms, all the way up to his fingertips. Eight or nine years ago, he'd figured out how to crack the ones in the base of his thumb, too, so that brings his grand total up to twenty-eight annoying little _pop_ noises to piss LaRusso off with.

Sure enough, he gets through about twelve before he can feel a dirty look being aimed full-force at the side of his head. Instead of stopping, though, he blazes through the rest (because once he’s started he can’t _not_ finish), and he can feel the look getting worse, kind of like the laser on the Death Star. LaRusso’s probably hoping the harder he glares, the more likely that Johnny’s head will burst open.

_Just apologize. Go from there._

But rather than coming up with something useful to say, Johnny is strangely focused instead on the space between them, and why there is somehow too much and too little of it.

(He thinks he could probably build a lap pool in the stretch of sand sandwiched by his left leg and Daniel’s right leg, and that it’d probably be one of those Olympic-sized lap pools, too.)

(He thinks if he tilts his foot just a little bit, and Daniel does the same, the toes of their shoes will bump. The idea is... weird, yeah, but not the worst thing.

Johnny’s wearing a beat-up pair of converse, LaRusso is in brogues that look like they've barely been outside. Maybe that's some kind of metaphor. Who knows.)

Daniel clears his throat, and his brows are raised in a way that somehow asks a question and looks irritated at the same time. Johnny pulls his lower lip into his mouth.

God, _god._ Why is this so difficult? What is it about Daniel LaRusso that makes saying things so difficult?

It used to be easy, talking to this stupid little twerp, when Johnny didn't know what he looked like or sounded like, and now it's just... _so_ complicated. Fuck, Bobby's going to just kill him, isn't he? What he wouldn't give to go back to before that stupid night at the bar, when he didn't know who Daniel was, and just -

Oh.

Well.

There's the solution.

Johnny pulls out his phone.

LaRusso  
  
**Today** 10:43 PM  
talk here?  
  


Daniel frowns at him, then he glances at his notifications, and that frown twists into something leaning over from angry to irritated. He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Johnny,” he says warningly. His tone makes abundantly clear what he doesn’t say: _Don’t bullshit me right now._

Johnny looks at him, jaw working for a moment, then his gaze drops back to his phone. He types. Hits send. Daniel’s phone buzzes again.

LaRusso  
  
look its just  
  
harder to say this kind of stuff out loud.  
  
and i need u to listen to me  
  
please  
  


Johnny doesn’t know what Daniel is thinking, doesn’t know how he’s going to respond.

 _Maybe this is a bad idea,_ he thinks (not for the first time that day) watching the crease between Daniel’s brows as he debates the merit of staying versus going. The breeze buffets LaRusso’s hair (why does he comb it back so much? It looks kind of nice like this, tousled and a little bit floppy; he looks like less of a wangless dork and more like... himself), and his jaw ticks like he's chewing something unpleasant.

He looks like he might just go. Johnny can almost hear it: _Take me back to the dealership, then don't you ever come near me again._

And really, if that’s what it boils down to, Johnny won’t be surprised. Because every time LaRusso's weighed him, Johnny’s been found wanting. In his karate, in his parenting, in - well, everything. Apparently, none of it is good enough for Daniel. _He’s_ just not good enough for Daniel. It kind of stings, sure, but it’s okay. He's never really been good enough for anybody.

Mentally preparing himself for the rejection means he _isn’t_ prepared for what he gets.

LaRusso  
  
Fine. Fine.  
  


(So maybe he's a little bit good enough, after all.)

LaRusso  
  
Let’s get this over with.  
  


Johnny has to remind himself to exhale. He’s never been more glad to see such a disinterested response in his entire life.

LaRusso  
  
ok  
  
theres no easy way to say this but i need to say it, so  
  
im sorry, daniel. im sorry.  
  
im sorry for pushing u away  
  
im sorry for hurting u  
  
i was being a dick, and u didnt deserve that.  
  
when i found out who u were i didnt know what to do  
  
u were my only friend. i did give a shit about u.  
  
and then it turned out u were also the guy who was making my life a fucking nightmare  
  
it just sucked, man. it sucked and it hurt.  
  
so i shut u out bc i didnt know how to deal with it. i still dont.  
  


His throat is tight, for some reason, and he can't even look at LaRusso anymore. He lets the crash of the waves breaking against the shore fill up his head, and keeps going.

LaRusso  
  
u know for what its worth, i liked talking to u  
  
didnt feel as alone as i used to  
  
so u know, thanks for that  
  
and i know i couldve handled it better, and i shouldnt have stayed behind at the bar to see who u were in the first place  
  
but i cant go back and change what i did  
  
so uh. yeah  
  
idk where we go from here  
  
or if we’re even gna go anywhere but  
  
yeah. thats it  
  
i just wanted u to know i was sorry  
  
**Today** 11:02 PM  
ok can u pls stop staring at me ur freaking me out  
  


Because he is. Daniel’s got his phone in his hand, but his eyes are wide and trained on Johnny, and Johnny’s shoulders are pulling up around his ears as though that will shield him from the weight of that stupid brown gaze, when he knows full well that that kind of technology probably only exists on the fucking _Enterprise_. He’s pretty sure he'd rather crawl into the sea than spend another second being melted down by Daniel’s stare, and he’s about to do it, when Daniel opens his mouth like he’s about to say something, then shuts it like he’d rather not.

Then he starts to type.

The little icon pops up at the bottom of Johnny's screen. It appears, then disappears, then reappears. He feels all the adrenaline coming to a head somewhere in the middle of his chest every time he sees it, and a swooping tug of disappointment every time he doesn't, and _okay, this one's gotta be a stroke, right?_

Daniel taps at his screen with a furrow between his brows for about a minute and a half, maybe longer. Johnny knows this because he counts down in his head till he hits the ninety four-second mark, then gives up.

Johnny decides inwardly that Daniel types like a psychopath. Who the hell even texts in landscape mode, anyway? That has to be some kind of red flag, surely?

(Okay, if he’s being perfectly honest, it's a little bit endearing.)

(But it’s mostly psychotic.)

There's five words in the text LaRusso finally sends him. Johnny frowns as he reads it.

LaRusso  
  
Why are you doing this  
  


What’s he supposed to say?

He’s not even sure _he_ knows why he’s doing it, just that the very idea of hurting the person Johnny’s been spilling his guts to for the better part of a year doesn’t sit right in his chest. Suddenly it doesn’t even matter that that person is Daniel.

(Maybe it’s a relief that's it's Daniel, even, because if they can get past this, then maybe they can fix whatever it is they’ve been hacking away at for the past thirty-something years, too. Because however deeply in denial Johnny might be about the whole thing, Daniel is his friend, and deep down, they really are more alike than they realize.)

Johnny's response takes way less time and he types it out like a normal goddamn human being. It's also honest.

(If this were a karate match, that'd be three points.)

(Not that Johnny's keeping score.)

LaRusso  
  
im doing this bc im trying to be better  
  


Daniel reads it once, twice, then flops onto his back in the sand and throws an arm over his eyes. Johnny watches him with one raised eyebrow.

“I don’t know what to say,” he says finally, the sound muffled by his elbow.

Johnny shrugs one shoulder, clears his throat. “It’s fine,” he says, and he’s so fucking glad that his voice doesn’t crack or anything. For a minute there, it felt like it might, but it didn't. Small mercies.

“Why did you bring back Cobra Kai?” Daniel asks after a moment, and his voice isn’t raised like last time, dripping vitriol and pumped to the gills with accusations. _You remember what Kreese was like. You know what he did to you. I know you know._ He’s _really_ asking, because he really wants to know, so Johnny takes a second to think about a real answer, picking up a fistful of sand and letting it spill between his fingers as he does.

“Growing up, I, uh, wasn’t doing so hot. My mom was sick and my stepdad was a major asshole, and I didn’t exactly have friends to distract me from it, so I tried a bunch of stuff to keep me busy. None of them really stuck," says Johnny. He realizes belatedly that he’s told Daniel this story before, one night a few months ago, though without specifics. He can feel his ears going red, and his stomach does a funny little warm flip-flopping thing. "But you, um, probably knew that already,” he adds, a little sheepishly.

The corner of Daniel’s mouth twitches like he’s about to smile, and he nods for Johnny to go on.

“But, uh, yeah,” says Johnny eloquently, dropping his gaze to his sandy palms. “When Cobra Kai came along, it was…” he trails off and sighs, almost regretful, almost wistful. “It changed my life. You know? Like I’d finally found something I was good at, something I loved to do, and - and I had friends there, _real_ friends. And Kreese, he treated me better than my stepdad ever did, so… I don’t know. I just felt like he couldn’t make mistakes.”

But Kreese had made mistakes alright, _so_ many mistakes. And here Johnny was, decades later, still paying the price for them.

He picks up another fistful of sand and tightens his grip, studying the excess that trickles down his wrist like it’s leaving behind the map to the crystal skull on his skin. He exhales. “These kids have all kinds of shit going on, man," he murmurs, "and I just wanted to give them the same stuff that Cobra Kai gave me. The good stuff. Somewhere they could go to feel like they belonged. I didn’t want them to turn out the way I did. I wanted them to be better.” Then after a beat, Johnny adds, “I also kind of wanted to piss you off, so. That’s two reasons.”

He waits for Daniel to explode all over him, but weirdly enough, the guy actually _laughs_. Johnny’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. It's a nice laugh.

(His stomach does that thing again.)

Daniel tucks his hand under his head. He’s looking up at the sky. “Well, it worked. You pissed me right the hell off,” he says dryly, “so kudos to you, I guess.” Johnny rolls his eyes, but he's biting down on a grin.

They lapse into a silence that doesn’t hurt.

Then... Johnny makes the mistake of looking at his phone. _Why are you doing this_ , instead of an _It’s okay, Johnny, I forgive you._ His whole body stiffens.

Daniel still hasn’t accepted his apology. That means whatever stupid idea Johnny had had of fixing this whole mess is going off the rails, and going off the rails _hard_.

Sure, Bobby had said that this might happen, and sure, at the time, Johnny had been cool with the possibility, but now that he’s here, now that he’s taken the fucking leap, he doesn’t know why Daniel won’t just meet him in the middle. He doesn’t know what else he has to do.

(Maybe he was wrong about just missing Daniel. Maybe he was wrong about not wanting Daniel back.)

Before he can spiral out any further, though, he clears his throat. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

Daniel hums. “Sure.”

“Are you still mad about your knee?” he asks, and before Daniel can reply, he feels like he needs to explain himself, so he keeps going, “I mean, you know, the whole thing at the tournament in ‘84, is that why you’re acting like - like I don’t know, like I’m some kind of villain for bringing Cobra Kai back? Because, okay, I know that sweep was a really shitty thing to do,” Johnny adds quickly, seeing the furrow appear between Daniel’s eyebrows and knowing that if this turns into a screaming match, they might never get another chance to hash this out, “but it was _years_ ago, man. And Bobby said he apologized. And my kids would never fight dirty to win. Like I said, I’m - I’m trying to be better. I want to be better than Kreese was.”

Daniel is quiet for a long time. It makes Johnny kind of uncomfortable, honestly, but it’s not like he can do anything about it. So he just kind of… sits, and waits, and tries not to question every life decision he’s ever made.

“I don’t really want to talk about the details,” Daniel begins in the quietest voice Johnny’s ever heard, and it’s so unlike the high-volume motormouth Johnny’s familiar with, that it stuns him into silence. “But, um. In 1985, there was this guy. Mike Barnes. Um.” He pauses, and swallows hard. “He… just. There was a - okay, so, I was helping Mr Miyagi out with his store, and, um. I’d never seen this guy before, but… he knew who I was, and he wanted me to fight him. In the All Valley. I said no, because - well, Mr Miyagi wasn’t a fan of fighting for trophies, and I was ready to focus on other stuff, you know, but he just wouldn’t stop asking, and then one day him and one of his buddies came to the store, and it was just me locking up, so he just. He. God. _God_.”

And here, he stops with a choked-off sound in the back of his throat.

Johnny, brows drawing a little in concern, carefully nudges Daniel’s foot with his own, wordlessly prompting him to go on.

Daniel just shakes his head, the heels of his palms digging into his eyes.

Johnny’s stomach sinks, helpless, and his brain is coming up empty on something, anything to do or say that won’t hurt Daniel.

(He wonders vacantly why the hell he can’t seem to stop doing that.)

He’s staring at nothing, trying to figure out what to do, when his gaze refocuses on his phone in the palm of his hand, and then… then it becomes obvious.

_You’re more alike than you think._

Maybe what worked for him will work for Daniel, too.

LaRusso  
  
**Today** 11:19 PM  
talk here?  
  


Daniel’s phone buzzes and he looks at it, confused, then his brows lift. He pulls his lower lip into his mouth, rolls his head towards Johnny, and regards him with tired eyes. Johnny wonders mildly, _when was the last time you slept?_

He offers Johnny a small smile, just the slightest tug upwards of his lips, and the sight of it is better than all the trophies in the world.

Daniel starts to type in landscape mode like the lunatic that he is, and he tells Johnny - slowly, with perfect punctuation - all about Terry Silver, and Mike Barnes, and the time he spent training in Cobra Kai, which, okay, what the fuck?

_What the fuck?_

“What the fuck?” Johnny says aloud, mostly to the sea, and mostly to his hands. He can't believe the shit that he's reading.

 _Kreese said he wanted to make me bleed._ Johnny thinks he might actually be sick.

Daniel sighs, sitting up a little and propping himself up on his elbows. “Yeah.” He looks _so_ tired. Johnny just... wants to reach out and - and shake the sand out of his hair, or something. Adjust his collar, maybe. “So… you can imagine how good it felt seeing Cobra Kai back in the Valley again.”

Johnny’s throat is dry, and he lays back in the sand beside Daniel. His hands are folded over his chest. He can feel his heartbeat pounding erratically underneath his fingers and in his throat and also, somehow, in his eyeballs?

“Jesus Christ, LaRusso," he breathes, without tilting his head.

“Yeah," Daniel says again.

Quieter, Johnny murmurs, “My Cobra Kai isn’t like that. It’s nothing like that. I swear.”

Daniel gives a skeptical little hum. “Well,” he says, flexing the fingers on his right hand absently, “your students _did_ give mine the Bobby Brown/Johnny Lawrence special. Or did you forget?” His voice is toneless, without heat, and it’s more of a cynical observation than a real jab, but Johnny feels it sting nonetheless. He winces, no comeback.

He glances at Daniel out of the corner of his eye and sighs. It feels like there’s no anger in him left to pick a fight with. Daniel seems headed that way, too. The waves are a constant hum in the background, and the sound of the water hitting the beach seems to take the very shape of the empty space between them.

“Did you know about Robby?” Johnny asks instead.

Daniel does this thing when he’s nervous, where he purses his lips and lowers his gaze. He’s making that face now, the lines of his shoulders and jaw tightening just a little.

“No, John," he says. "I didn’t know about Robby.”

Johnny wants to believe him.

(Daniel might be one of the only people left in the world who still calls him John. It’s kind of nice, especially wrapped up in his sloping Jersey accent, but it also kind of makes Johnny feel like he’s about to get yelled at.)

Johnny decides to believe him.

They listen to the water, and there’s so much more that Johnny wants to ask. _You’re divorced? Since when? What’s it like teaching Robby? Were you really in the linen closet that one time?_

Then Daniel reaches over and holds his hand, and every question pretty much evaporates from Johnny’s mind. Except for one.

“Um," says Johnny, ever the poet, going very still. "What’s... happening right now?”

“I don’t know,” sighs Daniel from somewhere to his left. It really does sound like he doesn’t know.

Johnny nods a little, eyes wide. “Okay.”

Daniel takes a breath. His chest expands and his arm brushes against Johnny’s. His voice is shaking a little when he speaks.

“Johnny, I’m. I’m sorry, too.”

_What._

“What?”

“I said I’m sorry.”

“No, I heard. I meant, like. For what.”

(They’re still holding hands.

They’re just two grown men with a rivalry that’d put Borg and McEnroe’s to shame, lying on the beach in the middle of the night, holding hands.

That’s not weird. It’s fine.

This is fine.)

When Daniel doesn’t reply, Johnny rubs his thumb along Daniel’s knuckles - because really, nothing can make this weirder than it is - and he feels the other guy shifting a little, like he’d forgotten where they were.

“I'm sorry for making you miserable,” he mumbles. “There's no excuse for doing what I did. Cobra Kai, just… it fucked me up, man, and I thought you were just like them. I didn’t want any of those kids to go through what I did.”

Johnny’s throat is tight. “They won’t.”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Daniel nods, squeezes his hand. (It's callused and warm in a way Johnny hadn't expected it to be. It feels kind of nice.)

“Johnny?” says Daniel, barely audible over the sea.

“Yeah?” says Johnny, matching his tone.

“Thanks for not giving up on me. On us.”  
  
(Maybe when you forgive someone, it doesn't necessarily have to sound that way. Maybe it can be... in the gestures.

Handing someone a karate trophy and telling them that they're _alright_ over the scream of a crowd.

Holding someone's hand just to remind them that they're there.

Stuff like that.)

Johnny’s cold, and he’s exhausted, and he’s pretty sure there’s sand in places that sand should _not_ be able to get into. There’s still nowhere else he’d rather be. He squeezes Daniel’s hand back.

“Oh, you know.” He looks at him, and smiles a little. “Happy to do it.”

❖

Johnny Lawrence  
  
**Today** 10:52 AM  
So  
  
You wanna talk about that kiss?  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)


	27. Episode 12, Part II - New Person, Same Old Mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> couple things before we start:
> 
> apologies for my unannounced absences, ive got finals going on and i havent been able to devote as much time to this story as id like, so while this fic is far from abandoned, i think the next update will be a little later during the week.
> 
> upped the chapter count (again) bc ive finally worked out an ending and an epilogue that im happy with, so thats exciting (and a little bit sad, but mostly exciting)
> 
> updated the tags, but just in case anyone missed it, kreese isnt a character that features in this story. this is for the sole reason that his vibes are bad and i just dont want to write him <3
> 
> ok ok im done ill shut up now
> 
> enjoy!!!

Johnny Lawrence  
  
**Today** 10:52 AM  
So  
  
You wanna talk about that kiss?  
  
what is it with ppl and wanting to talk things out  
  
...It’s healthy?  
  
its crazy is what it is  
  
It’s not crazy it’s how normal people deal with things??  
  
Not everyone’s first instinct is to pull out a hook kick or something  
  
hook kicks are easier bc they dont invite questions  
  
Johnny.  
  
do we rly have to talk about it  
  
Look I know you think you’re really cool and masculine for repressing all your emotions, but I’m not going to let you pull that shit right now  
  
Because I don’t know if it was a big deal to you or whatever, but it was to me.  
  
So can you please just humor me for five minutes  
  
fine  
  
what do u want me to say  
  
I don’t know. Was it bad?  
  
which part  
  
Any of it?  
  
i mean as a kiss no it wasnt bad  
  
it was kinda good actually  
  
but idk the fact that it was u was a little weird  
  
im still getting used to it  
  
That’s fair  
  
I’m sure you didn’t expect me to rock your world like that  
  
EXCUSE ME  
  
did u hit ur head or something bc u did NOT rock my world  
  
Beg to differ  
  
wh??? jesus christ larusso  
  
the kiss was only Kinda Good ok thats like  
  
one of the most mid range responses u can get  
  
thats an off day for me  
  
Yeah you say that but I was there and I’m pretty sure I rocked your world  
  
god u really are just the worst ever  
  
Pot meet kettle  
  
shut the fuck up if anything i rocked YOUR world  
  
Whatever you need to tell yourself  
  
are we done talking  
  
No we’ve established nothing  
  
whats there to establish  
  
Well we can’t exactly go back to the way things were  
  
Can we?  
  
do u want to  
  
Honestly, I don’t know. I’m still trying to process everything.  
  
right  
  
What are you going to do about Cobra Kai?  
  
wdym  
  
You’re… still gonna keep it?  
  
well yeah  
  
Wow.  
  
what  
  
Nothing.  
  
no come on say it  
  
u wanted to talk. lets talk  
  
It's just. You know what they did to me, Johnny. I haven’t told anyone about that in thirty fucking years.  
  
And I know Kreese hurt you, too.  
  
After all that, you still can’t see why it’s a bad idea?  
  
that was the old cobra kai man  
  
i told u im doing things differently  
  
It’s not about that. It’s about what it is at its core. It’s about the kind of karate you’re teaching.  
  
That ‘strike first, strike hard, no mercy’ shit you’re putting into these kids’ heads is gonna make them think that throwing punches is the way to solve problems, and that there’s nothing worse than losing  
  
It’s gonna backfire when they’re older. You and I both know that.  
  
so what u just want me to close up?  
  
u cant fucking ask me to do that  
  
Well. I am.  
  
this is such bullshit  
  
those kids fucking need me  
  
i need them. i need this  
  
i cant shut cobra kai down. i wont.  
  
Fine.  
  
I guess we can go back to how things were before, then.  
  
u know what just shut the hell up larusso  
  
arent u tired of this  
  
the fuckin fighting  
  
What the hell do you think? Of course I am. It’s been years, I’m fucking exhausted. But you’re clearly never going to understand why Cobra Kai should’ve stayed dead and I don’t know how we’re supposed to move past that.  
  
listen to me  
  
i meant it when i told u i started cobra kai to piss u off  
  
but i also meant it when i said i wanted cobra kai to be somewhere those kids could go without feeling like total shit abt themselves  
  
i wanted it to be what i remember it was. just the good parts. making friends, being badass.  
  
id never hurt these kids. im not john kreese. im not toby silver, and im not that barnes guy either. Get that into ur head.  
  
Terry  
  
what  
  
His name is Terry Silver. You said Toby.  
  
ur focusing on the wrong detail here im trying to be serious  
  
No I know I’m sorry  
  
I’m just scared  
  
i know  
  
**Today** 11:44 AM  
Can I ask you something?  
  
sure  
  
Did that kiss mean anything to you or did I just do something really stupid  
  
stuff can do two things  
  
Oh  
  
Wait what  
  
yeah it meant something and yeah it was really stupid  
  
Oh  
  
So what are we supposed to do?  
  
about what  
  
About any of this?  
  
ok well  
  
theres no way to get past the cobra kai stuff unless u trust me to do the right thing  
  
can u do that?  
  
I don’t know.  
  
wait seriously?  
  
Johnny, I want to. And I will. But you have to understand how hard this is for me.  
  
I just need time.  
  
do u have like a idk a ballpark or smn for how long that might be  
  
ok ignore me that was a dick thing to say  
  
No, no. Turnabout’s fair play.  
  
**Today** 11:56 AM  
do u think  
  
if u came to one of my classes  
  
see how i run the place  
  
maybe u would feel better about it?  
  
Johnny.  
  
u dont need to decide anything now, just think about it  
  
Why are you pushing this?  
  
bc  
  
because if u cant trust me with this then how are u going to trust me with anything else  
  
how are we supposed to be us  
  
Us?  
  
yeah  
  
maybe idk  
  
What do you mean?  
  
ok im. gna be real w u for a sec  
  
last night was important, even without the kissing. u were my friend and i hurt u and i wanted to make it right  
  
i dont know what we’re gonna do about u and me  
  
but whatever it ends up being, i wanna give it a real shot  
  
ive fucked up everything else n i dont want to fuck this up too  
  
so can u just think about it. please  
  
**Today** 12:17 PM  
There’s really no talking you out of Cobra Kai?  
  
i told u, i need my dojo, and i need my kids.  
  
but i need u around too  
  
dont make me choose  
  
**Today** 12:56 PM  
Okay.  
  
I’ll come by sometime.  
  
when  
  
When do you want me there?  
  
i have an advanced class on sat at like 9am  
  
works for u?  
  
I’ll be there.  
  
thx  
  
👍  
  
You know, it’s kinda funny actually.  
  
what is  
  
I kissed you once and now you want me to come watch you teach  
  
Dunno about you but it sounds to me like you got your world rocked a little bit  
  
go gargle a dick or something u maniac  
  
Words of a man knee-deep in a river in Egypt  
  
fuck off  
  
see u saturday  
  
See you, Johnny  
  



	28. Episode 13, Part I - TrusT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "NeXt UpDaTe WiLL cOmE LaTeR iN tHe WeEk" as it turns out i am simply Full of bullshit
> 
> enjoy!

snake pit squad original flavor  
  
**Today** 8:18 AM  
hawk  
Are you guys here yet?  
aisha  
hawk being early,,, ooc behavior  
yeah wtf are u doing ur gonna make us look bad in front of sensei  
hawk  
Look he told us to be here early and I kind of get the feeling that he hates me so I don’t want to piss him off again  
is this abt what happened at the tournament  
hawk  
What else could it be dumbass  
aisha  
sensei isnt mad at u hawk  
hawk  
You should’ve seen his face after I took that Keene guy out man I don’t know what is going on with him  
Literally told us there’s nothing dirty about winning and then he gets worked up when we listen to him  
aisha  
i mean u did kick that guy when he wasn’t even looking  
are u fr taking keene’s side right now  
aisha  
fuck off im making a point  
look we won thats all that matters  
aisha  
ok but if keene had done that to any of us i know we wouldnt shut up about it being unfair  
hawk  
I guess you’re right.  
no shes not >:(  
aisha  
miguel does it have anything to do w that guy being sensei’s kid or are u just being dramatic  
i am NOT being dramatic  
hawk  
Wouldn’t it make sense though if Sensei got mad Because we hit his kid? Like if it was Flips World Peace McGee instead of Keene I’m pretty sure Sensei would’ve been cool with it  
flips world peace mcgee,,,,,,,  
hawk  
Yeah, you know, that Xander guy. From Topanga?  
,,,,,  
aisha  
the dojo w the blue gis the ones that u said make them all look like benny the spaceman from the lego movie  
OH ok ok Those Guys got it go on  
hawk  
I’m just saying maybe we should consider that this isn’t a Sensei Thing, it’s a Dad Thing.  
aisha  
maybe. idk.  
sensei wouldnt screw us over for robby keene  
i mean sure hes his dad but also sensei has literally not shut up about winning this tournament for ages  
hawk  
I don’t know, man. All I know is that for whatever reason he’s mad at us, and that it started after the Tournament.  
maybe we should talk to him  
aisha  
the first reasonable thing u have said all week  
pls im acting reasonably this is reasonable behavior!!!!!!  
aisha  
suure  
hawk  
How are we even supposed to bring it up? “Hey Sensei, are you mad at us for fighting like you taught us to, or are you mad because we sort of hurt your kid?”  
less blunt but ya thats what i was thinking  
aisha  
whats the worst that could happen right  
realistically? he could line us up and snap his bottle caps into our eyes  
aisha  
pFFTKJSDF  
hawk  
How long have you been sitting on that one  
like months its never been the right opportunity to break it out until just now  
hawk  
Nice  
thx  
hawk  
Are you guys almost here can you hurry up I don’t want to hang out with Sensei alone it’s going to be so weird  
im almost there hawk dont start crying  
hawk  
You better pray we aren’t doing group sparring today or it is all over for you  
watch it kid ur threatening the all valley champ 😎  
hawk  
What’s that got to do with anything  
nothing i just wanted to remind u  
aisha  
i want to leave this group chat  
hawk  
Don’t abandon me with him  
aisha  
fine i wont but only bc i dont wanna talk to sensei alone either  
wait wait so agreed we’re gna talk to him today??  
aisha  
yeah  
hawk  
Yeah  
ok  
**Today** 8:29 AM  
aisha  
miguel we’re waiting on u dude  
o shit is sensei there yet??  
hawk  
Not yet, just me and Aisha and some other guys  
aisha  
also bert  
hawk  
Oh right, yeah, Bert’s here too.  
im walking as fast as i can give me a break  
aisha  
tyt we’ll let u know if sensei gets here  
👍  
**Today** 8:54 AM  
is it just me or does sensei look kinda nervous  
aisha  
maybe this is just a new level of drunk we havent seen before  
hawk  
He doesn’t sound drunk  
Just like  
Weird  
aisha  
should we talk to him now??  
hawk  
He’s in his office right  
aisha  
yeah  
i say we go for it. might not get a chance later  
hawk  
Agreed  
aisha  
yeah ok  
**Today** 9:03 AM  
hawk  
So that went  
Unexpectedly well  
aisha  
told u he wasnt mad  
hawk  
Yeah. Pretty big of him to admit he messed up, too. You think he hit his head or something?  
aisha  
i mean theres no other explanation for it right  
guys we can just talk aloud  
aisha  
i dont want extra pushups just bc u dont know how to whisper  
i can whisper?????  
aisha  
Listen El Serpiente, we love you but you’re the only reason we even use this group chat during class  
WOW  
u think u know some people and then they go and do this  
aisha  
u’ll get over it  
whatever i think the freakiest part was when he apologized  
figured he was some weird sensei clone thats actually nice to us  
hawk  
You guys think he’s going soft?  
aisha  
have u met him at all  
hawk  
Yeah but you have to admit he’s been different lately. Like, before the Tournament, he was sort of not acting like he was sent here by Satan to teach karate, like he was actually chilling out a little? But now it’s just like… he’s being weird again. You know?  
yeah  
didnt wanna say anything earlier but i think it has something to do with ross  
aisha  
yeah i was thinkin the same thing. he doesnt spend as much time in his car texting him anymore  
hawk  
Remind me who Ross is again  
aisha  
remember that person that sensei’s been texting since like july  
we didnt know their name so we decided to call them ross bc u know like ross and rachel  
hawk  
Oh right right yeah  
Implying that Sensei Lawrence is Rachel  
thats why its funny!!  
plus he would be an excellent rachel he hits her vibes almost exactly  
hawk  
Yeah if Rachel was fifty and into karate  
i said almost exactly  
aisha  
wait a minute  
mr postman :D  
hawk  
Shut up  
D:  
aisha  
is that  
is that mr larusso’s car outside  
wait what  
hawk  
WHAT  
aisha  
IT IS  
THATS HIM HE’S GETTING OUT OF THE CAR KHJFG  
WHAT THE FUCK  
oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god oh m  
aisha  
does sensei know?????  
OH OK HE DOES HES GOING OUT TO MEET HIM  
hawk  
GUYS BE COOL DONT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THEM  
oHHH SHIT PRESIDENTIAL ALERT THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTINGGGG  
**Today** 9:14 AM  
so  
the girls arent fighting  
hawk  
They’re just… talking  
aisha  
arguing??  
hawk  
Nope. Regular talking.  
well this is a massive bummer  
aisha  
hey dont mr larusso and sensei have some kind of epic rivalry or smn  
yeah but how does that even matter  
aisha  
if they have beef they should be throwing down but the girls arent fighting miguel theyre not fighting!!!!!!! thats sus!!!!!!  
idk maybe they decided to get over it?  
hawk  
Does that sound like Sensei Lawrence to you  
no ur right i didnt believe it even as i was typing it out  
hawk  
Wait wait guys the  
the girls theyre  
aisha  
tHEYRE HOLDING HANDS  
THEYRE WHAT  
aisha  
JHFBGSFJN????? WHAT THE FUCK  
I DONT KNOW  
hawk  
WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW  
WHEN WE SAID WE WANTED SENSEI TO THROW HANDS WE DIDNT WANT MR LARUSSO TO CATCH THEM  
hawk  
THE WAY THEYRE JUST. STANDING THERE. AND HOLDING HANDS  
DO THEY KNOW PEOPLE CAN SEE THEM  
hawk  
I DONT KNOW  
aisha  
oh my god you guys  
is  
is mR LARUSSO ROSS???  
WH  
AISHA  
hawk  
WHAT THE FUCK  
HOW DOES THAT EVEN TRACK  
hawk  
WHAT THE FUCK  
aisha  
I DONT KNOW  
HOW ELSE DO YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY OUR DAD IS JUST HOLDING HANDS WITH HIS NEMESIS IN THE PARKING LOT  
hawk  
MR LARUSSO CANNOT BE ROSS I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT  
OH MY GOD HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET BACK TOGETHER WITH SAM IF OUR DADS ARE GOING OUT  
aisha  
SENSEI ISNT YOUR REAL DAD WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT NOW  
HE MIGHT AS WELL BE BECAUSE ITS FREAKING ME OUT THE SAME AMOUNT  
hawk  
STOP SAYING THEYRE TOGETHER THEYRE NOT TOGETHER ADULTS HOLD HANDS ALL THE TIME  
OH PLEASE YOU KNOW THAT THEY DONT  
aisha  
CAN YOU BOTH JUST CHILL THE FUCK OUT ITS A THEORY I COULD BE WRONG  
hawk  
GOD HES COMING BACK THEYRE BOTH COMING BACK EVERYONE ACT NORMAL  
WAIT WHAT WHY IS MR LARUSSO COMING IN????  
hawk  
MIGUEL PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND ACT NORMAL  
**Today** 1:43 PM  
hawk  
Oh man I thought Sensei was never going to give us a break  
aisha  
lbr he probably wouldnt have if bert hadnt laid down on the mat and passed out  
hawk  
True  
aisha  
is mr larusso in the office w sensei  
hawk  
Yeah.  
Before you ask, I don't know what they're talking about.  
aisha  
can u hear any shouting or u know, general hand-throwing  
hawk  
Not really  
Kind of weird, today. With Mr LaRusso just sitting and watching everything, I mean.  
aisha  
did u see how sensei kept looking over at him and smiling  
hawk  
Yeah it didn't even look like one of his "I'm going to kick your ass" smiles or anything  
aisha  
are they ,,, getting along???  
hawk  
Looks like it 😬  
aisha  
😬  
ok berts waking up looks like breaks over  
**Today** 3:22 PM  
guys what if mr larusso rly is ross  
whats gonna happen to the dojo  
hawk  
What do you mean?  
like if theyre together then sensei's gonna wanna do stuff that makes mr larusso happy  
cobra kai sure as hell doesnt make him happy  
hawk  
No, he. He wouldn't do that to us  
Right?  
aisha  
right  
besides we arent even sure if ross IS mr larusso  
maybe theyre just trying to figure out what to do about keene or smn? u know since mr larusso is training him  
hawk  
Yeah you're probably right  
u know normally id agree with u  
but they did leave the dojo together so  
hawk  
...Mr LaRusso is Ross isn't he  
aisha  
hksjfdghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh jesus christ  
🤷😔  
hawk  
Should we... talk to Sensei again?  
idk  
he'll tell us if its anything big like that right?  
aisha  
right  
itll be ok guys dw  
yall wanna hit up golf n stuff later? like 7ish  
hawk  
Yes please  
aisha  
im down  
cool  



	29. Episode 13, Part II - TrusT

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the last official chapter of the story!!! the next one will be an epilogue, and then we're done! ill save the teary notes for later, so for now, i hope you enjoy <3

Daniel shows up to the dojo a couple minutes late. Johnny comes out to meet him, dressed in his sleeveless gi, and over his shoulder Daniel can see some of the Cobra Kai kids staring at them with wide eyes.

“Ignore them,” Johnny says, a mix of exasperated and fond. “Bunch of nosy dumbasses.” The corner of Daniel’s mouth tugs up. “Are you sure about this?” he asks.

Daniel glances up at the sticker on the door, the cobra with its hood open and jaw unhinged. His stomach tightens a little. He takes Johnny’s hand, which makes Johnny’s eyebrows lift, and forces a nod. “I’m sure.”

Johnny squeezes his hand back.

❖

There’s benches lining the far wall inside the dojo, and LaRusso sits down on one end. He looks out of place in his cardigan and his yoga pants, and Johnny doesn’t miss the way he’s sitting - like he’s slowly collapsing in on himself.

Johnny tells himself it’ll be okay. Daniel will see that Cobra Kai isn’t the nightmare it used to be.

He’ll see it, and then they can work this whole mess out. It’ll be fine.

Miguel is putting the kids through warmups while Johnny takes attendance and tries not to stare too hard at Daniel. It’s going relatively well, when Miguel calls out very seriously to do something called a _side dab_ and the whole class pulls a move Johnny hasn’t seen before in his life.

They burst into laughter, and Miguel glances at him, grinning without a lick of shame. Johnny rolls his eyes and cuffs the back of his head. “Very funny, Diaz. Keep going.”

Throughout the lesson Johnny keeps catching LaRusso’s eye and smiling a little bit, somewhere in between trying to be reassuring and trying to ask him telepathically what he thinks of everything so far. Daniel meets his gaze every time, but his expression is always unreadable. Johnny has no idea whether or not that’s a good thing.

❖

He’s pretty sure if anyone had tried that little dab thing in Kreese’s dojo, they’d have been dead on their feet. Around Johnny, they all look so _comfortable,_ like they’re having _fun._

(Daniel thinks that maybe he was too quick to judge him the first time around.)

His shoulders relax slowly and cautiously for the first time in almost a year.

❖

After class, LaRusso asks if he can give Johnny a lift. Johnny says _yeah, sure,_ even though his car is in the parking lot and if the kids weren’t suspicious already, they’re definitely getting there now. But hey, what’s he gonna do, say no?

“I have to make a quick stop at the dojo. Is that okay?” he asks as he turns the key in the ignition and the car rumbles to life. Johnny shrugs one shoulder and says _yeah, sure._

LaRusso drives them to Miyagi-Do, and they don’t talk the whole way over, but at some point he reaches over the gearshift to put his hand on Johnny’s knee. The rest of the trip is a blur.

At the dojo, Johnny takes his shoes off without being asked, which makes the corner of Daniel's mouth pull into a little smile. He allows Daniel to talk him through the place, picking up little knick-knacks and going off on tangents about each one of them.

He tries his hardest to pay attention, but Daniel’s talking so fast and, honestly, he sounds like he’s talking mostly to himself, so it’s a little tricky. His voice sounds nice, though. Really nice.

It’s probably just deflecting, anyway, like how someone will avoid talking about the elephant in the room by talking about everything else, especially if the elephant is bad news.

 _Do you wanna see the garden?_ asks LaRusso.

Johnny says _yeah, sure._

❖

They’re in the backyard, sitting on the deck, feet swinging absently. Johnny is beside him, leaning forward, shoulders hunching a little. Their knees bump. Daniel has no idea why they’re even here, or why he had to _make a quick stop_ _._ What was he supposed to pick up? _Was_ he supposed to be picking up anything?

(Maybe he just feels a little less exposed here, less like a live wire. Maybe it’s easier to talk here, somewhere familiar and comforting that makes his nerves feel less frayed.)

“I - you know that I - we - hm,” he begins coherently, then his bottom lip disappears between his teeth. He closes his eyes. “Jesus.” As if divine intervention can help him right now.

_Breathe, Daniel-san. Breathe._

He breathes.

❖

 _Just get it over with,_ Johnny thinks, fingers twitching in his lap. _Just say you can’t trust me and then we can move on._

❖

Daniel clears his throat. “You’re, um. You’re good with them. The kids.” _Lame. Lame, lame, lame. Fucking cop-out._ “I can see why they like you.”

Johnny has the decency to shrug it off. “Yeah, well. Something I’m not totally useless at.”

“Hey.” Daniel frowns and shoulder-checks him. “Don’t talk like that.”

❖

Johnny waves his hand dismissively. “It’s whatever.” He takes in the view: the lanterns and the wood fence and the - is that a fucking _pond._ He stares at it.

“What?” LaRusso asks, the tone of his voice almost daring Johnny to comment. Johnny can’t really resist rising to the bait, either, because come _on._ This whole garden is so pretentious and kind of beautiful and it’s exactly the kind of thing he’d expect from Daniel, so of course he’s gonna poke at it a little bit.

“Nothing, nothing, just trying to absorb your - your freaking HGTV backyard.” That earns him another shoulder-check. He hides a little smile. “What’s with the wooden thing in your, uh, your zen vibes pond?”

“Shut up. It's a balance wheel.”

Johnny rolls his eyes. “Right. Of course. _Balance wheel,_ duh.” He smacks his forehead with one hand. “ _Obviously._ Why didn’t I think of that.”

“Shut _up_ ,” LaRusso says again, and shoves him this time for good measure. “It’s a real thing, it’s for kata.”

❖

“No, yeah, sure. Totally. I believe you 100%,” says Johnny - _what a fucking asshole_ \- and Daniel, nerves momentarily forgotten, wishes he could dunk Johnny’s dumb blond head into the pond and just -

 _Ah_.

Daniel sits up a little, twisting to face him. “Hey. You wanna try it with me?”

A pause. “Try what?”

❖

So LaRusso wants Johnny to get on the balance wheel. With him. He wants them to do it _together_.

Johnny’s not exactly the brightest bulb in the shed, but he’s pretty sure putting him on a floating wooden pizza in the middle of a pond and telling him to _balance_ is not going to make him come off looking good.

(Daniel’s eyes are really brown.)

 _Come on. It’ll be fun,_ he says. His hand is on Johnny’s shoulder. It’s hard to focus with _that_ going on.

(They’re like, _really really_ brown.)

Johnny bites the inside of his cheek. “Yeah, sure.”

❖

“Wait we have to _get in the water?_ Man, what the fuck, I wore my good jeans today!”

Daniel rolls his eyes, already waist-deep in the pond with his palms braced on the balance wheel. “Yeah. Stop being a pussy.”

Johnny gives him a funny look, like he’s doing some complicated multiplication in his head, and his Adam’s apple dips dramatically as he swallows.

“You might wanna watch it with the _genderizing,_ LaRusso,” he says matter-of-factly, grimacing as he gets in the water. It’s a hot day, and the water is nicer than it usually is. “This is so fucking cold,” mutters Johnny. Of course he would. “I’m pretty sure this is some kind of torture device.”

Daniel’s still stuck on the fucking genderizing thing. Unbelievable. This guy really is just the _worst._ “Seriously? _You’re_ gonna lecture me about - okay,” he clicks his tongue and pinches the bridge of his nose, “okay. Wow. That’s just… _wow_.”

Johnny gives him a smug little smirk. Daniel loves him. “Alright, LaRusso - ”

❖

“- Show me how this works.”

It takes a few minutes of shuffling and quiet cursing to get up on the wheel, but they manage it, Daniel on one end, Johnny on the other, backs turned.

Johnny swallows, calves tensing, trying not to shift too much because _J_ _esus Christ this thing is so unstable, he can literally feel the water underneath it, there’s really nothing stopping him from falling in, huh, holy -_

“- okay? Johnny. Hey. Earth to Johnny. Anybody home?”

Johnny blinks.

“Sorry, um. Run that by me again?”

“I just asked if you knew any kata.”

Johnny feels a little insulted by the implication. He makes the fatal mistake of twisting to make a mocking face at Daniel (" _Yeah I fucking know kata, your mom taught me last night")_ and the platform _wobbles._ The retort dies on his tongue. He thinks, _oh great, this is how I die._ Of all the ways to go, he's going to die on a wooden pancake in a giant puddle. Something always told him that Daniel LaRusso would be the death of him, but not like _this._

“Hey - woah, easy, John,” says LaRusso, who shifts his weight a little so that the wheel stabilizes and all thoughts of dying are put to rest.

Johnny takes a breath. _Calm down, man._ “Yeah. Yeah," he says. "I know kata.”

“Okay. Heian kata? It’s pretty basic.”

“Um,” Johnny begins, a little embarrassed, “Kreese didn’t actually… teach us the names.”

He’s pretty sure, based off of the silence that follows, that Daniel is having some kind of fit back there.

❖

_Kreese didn’t actually teach us the names._

Daniel reminds himself that if he goes off on that fascinating little tidbit, then they’re both _definitely_ going to get a lungful of pond, so he keeps a lid on it. 

(Seriously. How the hell do you teach kata without the names?)

“You good?” Johnny calls.

He glances over his shoulder a little, makes sure his stance is wide. “Yeah. Get into the starting position for me?” Maybe they should’ve done this on land. Johnny’s ears are kind of red as he complies, squaring his shoulders and shifting his feet slowly. Daniel hums. He recognizes it. It’s Heian kata. (HOW THE HELL DO YOU TEACH KATA WITHOUT THE NAMES?) Daniel’s worked this hundreds of times. He mirrors Johnny’s position. The wheel evens out some more, and Johnny makes a little _woah_ of surprise as it does.

“Now what?” he asks.

“Now we do the rest.”

“Wh - _on the wheel?_ ”

“Yeah, on the wheel. What, you think I’d put you through all the trouble of getting on and then have you do kata _off_ the wheel?”

“I don’t know,” Johnny huffs. “This all seems like a whole lot of effort to do some fucking kata, man. Even for you,” he adds pointedly.

“It’s not just about the kata,” Daniel explains. “It’s - ”

❖

“If you say it’s about balance, I’m going to push you,” Johnny interrupts smoothly, and Daniel has the absolute gall to _laugh_ at that, especially when Johnny's being dead serious.

“It’s called a _balance wheel_. That’s why you need two people. You have to do it perfectly in sync or the wheel flips over.”

Johnny takes a moment to let that sink in. Incredulous, he asks, “okay, and… we’re not supposed to look at each other _why?_ ”

There’s a pause before Daniel replies. “Well," he says. "That part is about trust.”

❖

The air feels like it’s gotten thicker, somehow, like now that he’s thrown in this whole thing about _trust,_ something as harmless as the balance wheel feels practically insurmountable. There’s a weight in his chest that he can’t explain. “Ready?” Daniel asks quietly. 

“As I’ll ever be,” Johnny says.

❖

It’s a slow start, almost like tug-of-war, Johnny bearing down a little too hard every now and then, Daniel so constantly having to adjust and readjust his stance and the set of his shoulders that he almost (almost) fumbles on the positions of the kata. To put it gently, it seems like it’s going pretty fucking shitty.

“Hey. Look at me,” murmurs Daniel as Johnny tries not to overbalance. He meets Daniel’s gaze over his fists, and he's seventeen years old again, but so much is different. So much has changed. There's no fear in those eyes anymore. "I trust you.”

❖

Johnny’s answering smile is so small and surprised, but it is brighter than the fucking sun.

❖

They start to lean into it, hips twisting, feet hitting the board in tandem, and it’s like they’ve been doing this for _ages._

Johnny’s gotta admit, for all the shit he gives Daniel about his karate, this is exhilarating in a way that he didn’t know karate could be. All he can focus on is the next step, the next position, the next moment where he’ll look up and catch Daniel’s eye as they go through the motions together.

He’s pretty sure he’s never paid this much attention to his breathing in his entire life.

❖

Daniel’s almost surprised at how easy it becomes, how sturdy the wheel is under his feet. It’s almost as if, as restitution for all of the anger and the pain, they were given this one thing: they were made to match. Made for each other, made _of_ each other. Perfectly balanced.

❖

_I trust you._

If there was ever a poem to explain this feeling, whatever rhyme scheme it has, that’s the rhythm of Johnny’s heartbeat right now, something free verse maybe, something unexpected and… kind of really fucking incredible.

❖

When it’s over, Johnny stands across from Daniel, breathing a little heavily. He looks like he’s witnessing the rapture.

Daniel, somewhat inevitably, thinks of the beach.

They’d been lying there in the sand, holding hands. (Daniel has no idea how or why he decided to do _that,_ just - just that after talking about Terry Silver and Mike Barnes and that whole fucking shitshow, he’d felt panic and bile pushing hard in the back of his throat, and if he didn’t grab onto _something,_ he’d just shatter.

That something had been Johnny. Daniel, reasonably, had expected him to freak out.)

(But Johnny had grabbed right back, keeping Daniel bolted firmly to the ground - hand in unlovable hand - so maybe Daniel wasn’t as alone as he thought he was.)

Johnny had tilted his head and smiled, just a little, just with the right corner of his mouth.

What else was Daniel supposed to do, really, but lean in to kiss him?

(He thinks that there might be some kind of irony in that, what with Johnny’s whole complex about _striking first_ and all.)

Johnny had stiffened underneath him for a moment, and then he’d relaxed, tilting his chin up into Daniel and one hand curling around the back of his neck. Daniel swears his whole mind had simply gone blank.

The more he thinks about it, the more it just sorta… makes sense, that this is where they’d end up, after everything, and - okay, it’s certainly not a possibility that Daniel ever _considered_ , but it’s one that he’s _definitely_ not mad about. A whole year of talking to someone, being open and honest and vulnerable with them? Daniel’s not ashamed to admit there were moments during those exchanges where he’d let himself _wonder,_ but he's never actually thought about it like _that_ since he found out that it had been Johnny on the other end.

And then… well, he did.

He’d fitted that warm rush he got whenever he’d get a notification from _Almost Friend_ onto the guy laying beside him, and he’d been surprised to discover that it didn’t feel as weird as he thought it would. He took a breath, his arm so close that it brushed Johnny’s, and something just clicked. 

Johnny had looked kind of dazed after, brows lifted slightly, lips parted, and all he’d said after a moment was, “Huh.” He looks the same now as he did then. Daniel’s chest hurts, but it’s good. It’s really good.

He reaches out.

❖

_Oh, okay. So this is happening._

Johnny’s throat is dry as he meets Daniel halfway.

 _Big_ mistake.

The wheel tips.

❖

The pond is so fucking cold. How is that even possible? Did it drop a few hundred thousand degrees while they were on the wheel?

Daniel scrambles out onto the grass, hauling Johnny up by the collar of his shirt. They’re coughing and blinking water out of their eyes, and Johnny is on his back, chest heaving. He looks at Daniel, and Daniel looks at him. They're both soaked to the bone.

"Nice," says Johnny, and that sets them off into a laughing fit.

When they finally calm down after what feels like forever, the grin still fading from Daniel's lips, Johnny makes that face again, the intensely concentrated one he had made earlier when Daniel had called him a pussy. "What?" Daniel asks, bemused, leaning back on his elbows.

(Daniel will look back on this moment over the years and realize belatedly that that's the face that Johnny makes when he wants to kiss him but he can't decide whether to be mad about it or not.

For now, though, Daniel just thinks it's an oddly endearing look on him.)

It's different than the beach. This time, Johnny strikes first, and Daniel lets him.

He doesn’t kiss like he fights at all; where he is aggressive and unyielding on the mats, here he’s slow and careful, and he keeps stopping to _smile,_ of all things, which makes Daniel feel so many kinds of stupid and warm that it should be _illegal_.

When Daniel reaches up to card his fingers through his hair, Johnny makes a surprised little hum in the back of his throat that Daniel wants to remember forever. 

❖

"Wait, wait." LaRusso leans away for a moment, and Johnny, fucking idiot that he is, actually chases after his mouth, like some kind of _girl._ "When you said you wanted us to be _us,_ ” he says quietly, “what did you mean?"

Johnny sighs. "I don't know,” he admits. “I like making you mad. I like kissing you. Somewhere in between that, I guess."

Daniel rolls his eyes, and it’s so fond and familiar that Johnny’s chest actually hurts at the sight of it.

“Okay," he nods. "I think I can make that work." His fingers are doing this distracting thing where they’re just kind of… scratching in Johnny's hair. His nails are blunt but the motion is rhythmic, and it feels _really_ good. Johnny barely registers his reply. When he does, he frowns a little.

“Wait. What just happened?”

Daniel raises an eyebrow. “I think you just asked me to go steady with you.”

“Did I?”

He laughs ( _god,_ that laugh). “Yeah, you did.”

“And?” Johnny kind of hates how hopeful his voice sounds, like it’s kicking up into a whole other octave heretofore unheard of by human beings.

“What if I told you that I’d be happy to do it?”

 _Motherfucker_ , Johnny thinks, heart pounding so hard he can practically taste it. “If you said that, then I’d have to kick your ass,” he replies easily. “I already used it last time we made out, so - ”

❖

“- You can’t say it.”

Daniel scoffs. “What, like you invented it?”

“No, but it - it’s the _principle_ of the thing - ”

“Suddenly you have principles?”

“Oh, you know what, fuck you and the horse you rode in on.”

“Fuck _you,"_ Daniel says, laughing, and Johnny’s biting down on a grin of his own. Daniel curls his fingers in Johnny’s hair, and Johnny’s arms are looped around his middle.

He takes a breath, and it comes easier than every breath he’s ever taken before.

“So, what d’you say? You wanna go steady with me?” Johnny asks quietly. Daniel wipes a rivulet of water off the side of Johnny’s face with the pad of his thumb, and Johnny leans into the touch.

There’s still so much they have to talk about. How they’re going to tell the kids, how they’re going to manage the dojos and everything, how they’re going to work out all their messes.

But it’s okay. They have time. They’ll get through it together.

Daniel smiles. “Yeah, Johnny. Sure. I'll go steady with you.”

“Cool,” says Johnny. His eyes are bright.


	30. Epilogue - Uncrossed Wires

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months later.

Johnny  
  
**Today** 6:12 AM  
where r u  
  
Jogging  
  
at this godforsaken hour  
  
I go every day??  
  
what????  
  
Yeah  
  
wtf how come im just finding out  
  
I mean you’re usually still asleep by the time I get back  
  
thats because im NORMAL  
  
When you get arthritis in five years don’t come whining to me  
  
first of all ive never whined in my life and second of all i wont need to bc karate keeps these joints young  
  
Both of those things are wrong  
  
why dont u go blow urself asshole  
  
Wouldn’t want to put you out of a job  
  
🖕🖕🖕  
  
😊  
  
Why are you up anyway?  
  
idk  
  
Nightmare again?  
  
yeah  
  
Do you wanna talk about it?  
  
not rly  
  
Should I come back?  
  
no its ok im just gna get something to eat  
  
Okay  
  
**Today** 6:28 AM  
we are out of eggos  
  
I’ll pick some up on the way  
  
thx  
  
o can u see if they have orange juice  
  
I bought a gallon like a week ago?  
  
yeah and  
  
...You know, there’s such a thing as too much Vitamin C  
  
no there isnt. are u teaching ur kids that shit bc it isnt true  
  
Are you being serious  
  
yes  
  
get the kind without pulp ok  
  
Jesus. Fine.  
  
**Today** 8:33 AM  
Do we need anything else from the store?  
  
nope  
  
wait beer maybe  
  
Banquets?  
  
yeah none of ur prissy craft shit  
  
It’s not prissy it tastes good  
  
keep telling urself that  
  
Fuck off. Class later?  
  
yeah, same time. u?  
  
Yep. After work.  
  
do u need a ride back  
  
That’s okay, I can take my car from the dojo  
  
ok  
  
so. big day today  
  
Yeah  
  
Be honest, scale of 1 to 10, how well do you think this is going to go for us  
  
idk maybe like  
  
avt ‘84  
  
What the fuck how can it be THAT bad  
  
do u honestly think its going to go better  
  
I mean they took the truce pretty well, considering everything. Maybe they’ll be okay with this, too?  
  
good to have optimism but its one thing to tell them we r calling a truce and another thing entirely to tell them that we r boning  
  
They’re going to freak out aren’t they  
  
for sure  
  
plus we taught them a bunch of ways to beat the crap out of people they dont like so,, should be fun  
  
Well.  
  
... We had a good run, John. It was nice knowing you.  
  
💀💀💀  
  
**Today** 12:45 PM  
getting lunch w bobby do u want me to bring u back smn  
  
Sure  
  
Have fun say hi to Bobby for me  
  
**Today** 1:32 PM  
bobby says hi back  
  
also pizza y/n  
  
Y  
  
What kind?  
  
🙄the gross vegetable thing u like  
  
YES  
  
u appall and disgust me  
  
I think you secretly like the gross vegetable thing  
  
how dare u accuse me of that i cant believe i have to endure this shit  
  
”Endure,” he says as if he doesn’t give me enough shit daily  
  
that just builds character  
  
I’m 58, I don’t need any more character than I already have  
  
ur right. if anything u need way less character  
  
Die <3  
  
pass <3  
  
**Today** 3:55 PM  
Class starting soon  
  
**Today** 4:01 PM  
u ok?  
  
Yeah  
  
Did you talk to the kids?  
  
not yet. we r taking a break, im gna corner them after class  
  
Okay  
  
what time should i come pick u up  
  
I’ll text you  
  
ok  
  
**Today** 5:38 PM  
ok i did it i talked to them  
  
weirdly i think it went well  
  
like they all said they kind of knew already which?? what the fuck  
  
werent we careful??  
  
but yeah anyway. not terrible overall  
  
there was a group hug maybe but thats all im saying about that  
  
going to my place to shower, text me when ur ready  
  
**Today** 6:11 PM  
also miguel and aisha sent me some articles ur gonna have to read them to me later  
  
i tried to but  
  
idk  
  
u know how i get sometimes  
  
before u say its adhd shut up no it isnt  
  
**Today** 6:23 PM  
o have u heard of stonehenge?? it came up a few times in one of the articles  
  
no idea what thats about  
  
typing gay stonehenge into google does not help either u just get a bunch of websites to book lgbt friendly tours of bath  
  
does bath mean something else in england??  
  
**Today** 6:41 PM  
larusso theres a PLACE called BATH how fucking funny is that  
  
**Today** 8:58 PM  
Glad to hear it went well!  
  
thank u thank u turns out i can get Some things right  
  
Always knew you had it in you  
  
What's this about Stonehenge?  
  
u know. the gay rights thing  
  
You  
  
Johnny that’s  
  
That’s StoneWALL  
  
oh  
  
ok yes i see some stuff abt riots here in google. i remember that from the article  
  
this makes way more sense than the gay bath tours thing  
  
which honestly before i found out bath was a real place just sounded like some kind of sex thing  
  
...Every day with you is an adventure in high blood pressure  
  
kinky  
  
so how did it go  
  
Well. Can’t say it went better than yours.  
  
why what happened  
  
I don’t even know. Robby took it… surprisingly well. He was just kind of quiet through the whole thing. Said he was okay as long as I was okay, and that he wants to talk to you sometime.  
  
wow  
  
wonder where the hell he gets that levelheadedness from  
  
i see u typing larusso dont u dare say balance  
  
🤐  
  
🙄  
  
what abt sam  
  
She said she needed time to think.  
  
Robby took her home, and Amanda said she hasn’t left her room or talked to anybody since. It’s been… almost two hours since they left. She won’t answer my texts.  
  
dude  
  
I know.  
  
give her time  
  
I know.  
  
shes ur kid. shes gna come around  
  
I know.  
  
Still feels kind of awful.  
  
i know  
  
where are u?  
  
At the dojo. I’m just… sitting here.  
  
do u want to be alone rn or do u want me to come get u?  
  
I think I need to be here tonight  
  
ok  
  
at least let me bring u dinner  
  
Okay  
  
3:13 AM  
Hey. Are you awake?  
  
3:17 AM  
yeah  
  
wait let me switch  
  
Yeah  
  
You know you can just call me, right?  
  
I know, but like. Nostalgia or whatever. Sue me.  
  
Sap  
  
Fuck off  
  
Are you okay?  
  
Yeah, I think so.  
  
Sam just texted me.  
  
Yeah?  
  
She asked if I was happier with you than I was with Amanda.  
  
Oh.  
  
Loaded question  
  
Yeah  
  
What did you say?  
  
I was honest. I told her the person I used to be was happy with Amanda, and the person I am now is happy with you  
  
...You are?  
  
Yeah, dumbass. You make me happy.  
  
You’re really asking me that after we’ve sunk six months into this?  
  
Shut up. How’d she take it?  
  
She seemed okay with it  
  
I think she felt bad for leaving the way she did  
  
I don’t blame her, though. It’s a lot for a kid to handle.  
  
Yeah  
  
Speaking of which, any word from Robby?  
  
I texted him, he says he’s free Saturday, so we’re meeting at the In-N-Out on Van Nuys.  
  
Figure kids are easier to handle if you get a burger in them, you know?  
  
You’re not wrong there.  
  
Listen, did Robby seem mad when he said he wanted to talk to me? I can’t tell from the texts he sent  
  
Robby was… well, Robby. Couldn’t really tell either way.  
  
Gee, thanks. That is both helpful and makes me feel better.  
  
I’m sure you two are gonna be fine, Johnny. Don’t worry about it.  
  
What am I even supposed to say to him?  
  
”Sorry for being the shittiest fucking dad in the universe and also sorry that I’ve been blowing your sensei’s back out in my spare time?”  
  
...Maybe don’t bring up that last part while he’s eating.  
  
LaRusso.  
  
Lawrence.  
  
He’s giving me one shot and I need to make this work.  
  
You will. I know you will. Just give yourself a little credit.  
  
Based on past experience, no, I don’t think I will  
  
Fine. Then give Robby a little credit.  
  
He’s a good kid, and he knows you’re trying to make things right. That’s what matters.  
  
...This feels like one of your weird healing-power-of-love-and-friendship subtextual things  
  
It’s not subtext, it’s regular text.  
  
You love him. He knows, and he believes you. That’s better than where you two were last year. That’s called healing.  
  
Whatever, Nancy.  
  
You really think he believes me?  
  
I do  
  
You should get some sleep, it’s late  
  
Yeah, I know. I just… feel kind of weird.  
  
You okay?  
  
Yeah  
  
Bed seems off somehow.  
  
What do you mean  
  
I don’t know. It’s like there’s way too much space or something  
  
My stupid brain’s gotten used to your fucking sleep karate I guess  
  
For the fiftieth time, I do not do sleep karate, you rolled off the bed one time and you’re blaming it on me  
  
For the fifty-first time, yes you do, and I did not roll, I was violently kicked  
  
YOU FELL ON YOUR OWN  
  
TELL THAT TO THE FOOT-SHAPED BRUISE IN MY RIBS  
  
Wait wait  
  
You can’t sleep without me. Isn’t that what you just said?  
  
Stop trying to change the subject, you attacked me while we were both unconscious  
  
I’m very much on-subject, which is that you miss me.  
  
You’re domestic  
  
You are so lucky that I don’t feel like driving right now because if I did I would come over there and kick your dumb ass into next week  
  
Promises, promises.  
  
Honestly, yeah. I kind of miss you too.  
  
Wow. I bought you veggie pizza and all I get is a “kind of”? Real generous.  
  
Okay, fine, fine. I miss you.  
  
I miss you.  
  
You know what, this is stupid.  
  
I’m coming home. I want to see you.  
  
Yeah?  
  
Yeah  
  
Do you want me to come get you?  
  
Thought you said you didn't feel like driving?  
  
Fuck off, you know I'd do it if you asked.  
  
Will you?  
  
Already getting in the car  
  
You're a goddamn dream, Johnny Lawrence, you know that? You're all I ever want  
  
'Course I know. You tell me every day  
  
And I mean it  
  
I know you do  
  
Hang in there, I'm on my way  
  
Okay. BCNU  
  
BCNU  
  
❤  
  
❤  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and we're done. holy shit. what the fuck. started this with twelve chapters in mind and now we're at THIRTY.
> 
> i wanna say a big thank you to every single one of you who's made it this far, both the commenters and the silent readers. i know epistolary format fics/texting fics don't usually get a lot of traction because not many people like the way they're written, so every time someone tells me that they're glad they gave this fic a chance, know that you make me unbelievably happy. im incredibly grateful to you (yes you!) for sticking around.
> 
> im considering writing some one-shots within this 'verse (revisiting the cobra kids' gc, plus some other characters i didn't get to bring into this story), but before that i'm gonna be taking a break for a couple weeks. if there's anything you guys would like to read, feel free to send me an ask/dm on tumblr @miyagi-dont, on twitter @superblums, or just leave a comment! i'd love to hear what you think.
> 
> EDIT (2/27/21): _misery business_ , the sequel to this fic, is up and posting! just click on next work and it should take you right to it :)
> 
> lastly, i just wanna say that i never guessed how important this story would become, and not just to me. it's been a truly crazy time, and i'm so glad and humbled that _Feather_ could be a little bit of a bright spot for you all, just like it's been for me.
> 
> i love you all, happy to do it <3


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